Many artists have been inspired to respond artistically since the Tarot appeared as a game somewhere in the mid-15th Century, though it is the French we can look to for imbuing these cards with a greater significance. Cartomancy as a concept has always fascinated me, that these symbols can be manipulated at will through the chaos of universal forces into something that resembles common sense.
When Pelmanism was written during Lockdown, the Tarot became a significant inspiration. The journey symbolised by the 22 cards which form the Major Arcana became the foundation on which I wrote my first cohesive, episodic sequence of poems. Without this starting point, LuX would never have come into being. Early this year, it became apparent that to edit THAT successfully requires skills I do not yet wield. So, this is where that process begins.
I don’t write nearly as much love poetry as I should. It’s only relatively recently that I’ve realised why this has changed, and we’re now working on reversing the trend. It helps if you can feel comfortable in yourself first. Anyway, this poem is pretty much untouched in terms of editing from when it was first written in Lockdown. It goes to show that love is quite a potent motivator.
My husband loves musical instruments and pedal bikes: it was a toss-up between which one would get written about, and in a period when relaxation was significant, listening to him playing became an important part of the house’s daily routine. He’ll still do this at night, and I won’t ever get tired of listening to songs reverberating around the house. His ability to learn new songs never gets old.
Oh, and as an additional piece of information: The Brook Guitar is an instrument made in the West Country, where my husband originates, though his parents were both from the North of England. This gives him the best of both worlds.
6 / Brook refrain
all I ever wanted stands scattered across corners hung on walls wooden hulled reminders he is that considers them worthwhile enough as partner to regale this place our life with means by which their past is never left unsung playlists repeat put down begun as long as I hold written words others’ songs remind of what my life would be without his constant hum of happiness in major keys truth without such music that you learn my heart would never ache as much remaining audience of one heart’s contentment under strings
If you like this poem, please let me know in the comments <3
We announced previously that there will be an opportunity to get a physical copy of this chapbook when it is completed later this year if you’re a Paid Subscriber to Substack.
These copies will be individually sewn and hand printed by my good self. All the details are in this post: