Portraits of Pips by Elizabeth Hazel

This is the thirteenth in a series of "portraits" of the Minor Arcana, written in Liz's unique style.  All cards are inspired by and illustrated with the Vala Tarot, a deck designed and illustrated by Elizabeth Hazel.

Ten of Wands 

Winter comes unbidden to this land.  Trees die their annual death - leaves of bronze and vermillion are stripped by implacable winds.  Naked branches rise to arctic skies in supplication of spring.  Below am I.  Smothered by the weight of the needy trees, enchained by grasping roots, I die the death of life and the death of death.  Monumental failure recedes to expose the blood soaked indignity of the fallen.  No stone marks the small ground earned by the slaughtered pawn.  The battle horn's call to glory has become the cawing of the unforgiven crow.  Ambitions are carrion, steadfast ardor rots into oppressive obscurity.  Marching rows of centurions, crusaders, cavaliers and infantry grind on above my head.  Civilizations rise and fall.  Kings are reclaimed by the soil; the land where their commands and laws and majesty once ruled now harvests their bones.  These are the spoils of oblivion.  Silent shades are here; the angry gods have abandoned this realm.

Two of Cups

This moment - so gentle and tender - tears the shielding cloud from my hidden heart.  Did your eyes meet mine?  Did they speak to you of things my mouth is too timid to say?  Beneath the small rituals of daily living lies the rich command of desire for the perfect other.  I know now the power of this call that throbs through the pulse of nature.  Companion, friend, lover - will you answer to these names in accord, with freely offered love?  The melody of morning birds cannot be so sweet as our first meeting.  This rapture is our possession, our compelling awareness.  No other event is so human, so singular, so precious to the secret heart than when two souls merge and separateness dissolves into union.  Were a crown placed upon my brow, or jeweled sceptre yielded to my hand, it would not be so dear a treasure as your heart answering the call of mine.

You can read the first installment of this series here.  You can read the last installment of the series here.