0. the fool
innocence • optimism • new beginnings
a trek, a quest, an odyssey
to be what's still unknown.
no prophecy has bound my fate;
this journey is my own.
as moonlight paves the path ahead
and stars mark twists and turns,
the metamorphosis begins
each step with lessons learned.
background
this is the first piece in a series i'm working on that consists of 2-stanza poems in common meter each of which focuses on a card in the major arcana of the rider-waite tarot. so naturally, we're starting with card 0: the fool. here's a directory for the rest of the series!
the fool's journey is the story told by the major arcana. it's the evolution that starts as the blank slate filled with optimism, excitement, and innocence. it ends with fulfillment and enlightenment. but here, the fool is just starting out and i wanted to focus on the quest aspect of the journey. we were all the fool at some point and we'll be the fool again. it's that fresh start, the new beginning filled with endless possibilities. you have a goal in mind but you don't know what the road will be like, even if you have a map. you don't know what you'll become by the end. we think we do, but journeys have a way of distilling us into what we're meant to be, not just who we want to be. and while the journey may bring us face to face with parts of ourselves that we weren't prepared to face, there's joy and beauty in the unexpected metamorphoses we undergo during the course of an odyssey.
if, when you read this, you find yourself identifying with the fool, i hope your journey is a wonderful one filled with beautiful discoveries and self-actualization. embrace your changes and savor those lessons because one day, you might be the one doing the teaching 💕
let me know what you think and how this piece made you feel in the comments here or on instagram! how do you relate to the fool and their journey?
calligraphy practice
a shorter quote this time, but the piece is also shorter! this is the line that really stuck out to me for this poem because it really captures the idea of free will in the fool's journey to fulfillment:
no prophecy has bound my fate
i chose to use uncial again mainly because practice makes perfect. i actually filmed myself doing this and made a reel for a couple reasons. one, ~content creation~ . two, and the real reason, was because i wanted to see myself do the practice. see how my hand is moving, how the pen moves along the page from a different vantage point, and, honestly, just watching the act of writing is pretty peaceful. however, because i filmed myself, i had to adjust my posture to account for the camera and you can probably see some inconsistencies here and there. but that's not a bad thing!! i'm a notorious "huncher" when i write in general and that's not good for the back. so even though it isn't perfect, it's a necessary step to make sure that i'm taking care of myself!
i will say, even though i was shaky with the posture change, i felt much more confident actually writing. for "in quiet verse," i seriously sat there and stared at the guidelines for a solid five minutes before even putting pen to paper. this time, it was just a breath and go! i'm also learning the pen more. that might sound weird, but pens are a tool and just like you learn the best way to hold a drill or a screwdriver to get the most leverage, i'm finding the best way to hold this pen so that the ink doesn't come out patchy and it can glide across the paper more freely. i'm excited to see how this develops!
also, isn't this purple color so pretty? ☺️
i hope you enjoyed the piece! 💕 i hope you consider subscribing to get new posts sent directly to you and to leave comments/feedback!
see you soon!
~ chel