Story telling
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Dec 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Moongold |
23 Dec 2002 |
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This a suggestion only but it could be fun.
Each year one of our metropolitan papers has a VERY SHORT STORY competition The stories can't be more than 200 words and they have to be on a particular theme.
There are some brilliantly funny and clever entries and they make good summer reading.......Sitting in the shade with a cool drink....
Why don't we do something similar, using particular suites? If people were Wands, perhaps they could do a Wands theme using characters from the suite. Or maybe we could have another theme like doing your first reading but relating it to a tarot character/s.
Obviously some thought would have to go into the criteria but 200 words would need to be the max.
It could be fun. We often talk about shadow work.....perhaps we could look at the Sun side of Ttarot this way?
Blessings,
Moongold
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| Moongold |
24 Dec 2002 |
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Wow, this has had a respounding response ......(chuckles).
I used to write stories to help me remember aspects of the cards/suites. Looking at these now I can see they are quite unpublishable.
Perhaps it would be simpler to do it just using tarot as a theme, or some aspect of tarot?
It's Christmas morning here in Australia. This evening I'll have a go to see what happens. Thinking....... Perhaps it doesn't have to be a competition either, just a short story.
This is an edit; I just did a search and found this thread about creative writing. Fascinating.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7360&highlight=Haiku
Happy Christmas, all....
Moongold
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| Moongold |
24 Dec 2002 |
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OK. This is my go. It was quite challenging but fun to tell a story in 200 words. What do you think?
The gaming room was gloomier than usual although she could see the glow of the machines with their flickering lights. Smoke twirled towards the ceiling. In the distance she could see figures hunched before machines, robotically pressing buttons, the machines singing at the occasional touch.
She breathed deeply and sat at a table, just as she’d been advised. The counsellor had said that waiting a few minutes before she went in might help stop the compulsion, although the restlessness began to ripple through her body.
The man next to her was shuffling some coloured cards with odd pictures on them. They reminded her of the caricatures whirling around the slot machines in the room next door. “Curious?” he asked. Distractedly she nodded. “ What do you want to know?” he asked. “ What do I have to lose?” she replied, not really addressing his question. Silently he laid the cards out and looked at her, quizzically. She nodded and he began to speak softly
Thirty minutes later, the woman stood up and quietly left the room. She did not look behind her. “What did you say?” the bartender asked the man with the cards. “Me? Nothing really.” the man replied.
Moongold
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| Moongold |
24 Dec 2002 |
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Here's another one:
Her reflection in the shop window caught her eye. Update definitely needed. David Jones Christmas Sales were usually good but a cast of thousands tried to get there. Up the stairs to the racks. Grab a few promising things and try to get an empty cubicle. Anything to avoid those 20-something sales assistants who don’t think much of Empress style figures. Maybe I’m really a Star, she mused, depending on what deck you have. Morgan Greer chubby; Old Path acceptably thin; Shining Tribe – well where do you begin? Love Shining Tribe but you have to know the language. I wonder what Rachel Pollack looks like?
She pulled the green dress over her head and struggled into it just as a 20-something assistant appeared at the door. The initial dissonance between her body and the dress was reflected in 20-something’s eyes.
So I’m a Morgan Greer Empress she flashed mentally. Maybe even a Haindl? Benign, motherly, mythological, earthy fertile sexuality. Isn't that the 78DW description?
Her spirit flowed into the green dress and she winked at 20- something. Curves relaxed into folds and she breathed out.
“Do you have this in purple?”
Definitely an Empress.....
Moongold
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| Trogon |
25 Dec 2002 |
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This is great Moongold. I'll have to try a bit of thinking before I try my hand at this, but it sounds like fun... Enjoyed your two stories though. :D
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| Moongold |
25 Dec 2002 |
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It'd be great to see you have a go.
Cheers and blessings,
Moongold
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| Moongold |
25 Dec 2002 |
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Thanks allibee,
Cool.....
Moongold
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| Moongold |
25 Dec 2002 |
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Congruency
Mary idly picked up the two cards and looked at them, Five Pentacles and Queen Rods. There is something very refreshing about the Old Path deck, she thought. I’m glad I got it. The Queen of Wands is my Significator and I don’t mind looking like this.
Then she felt a chill and looked up. The wind had lifted and disturbed the leaves. It was a familiar evening sound, reminding her to start home. She tightened the scarf around her neck but stopped at another sound. She wasn’t alone. A few feet away a gaunt woman stood with her arm around another woman whose face was covered as if to hide the fact that she was sobbing. The gaunt one’s face was also constricted by grief and her bandaged hand, stained with blood, was raised as if to protect them both.
Mary stood, transfixed by the scene, but unable to move. Then something else caught her eye. A tall redheaded woman gazed intently at the scene, smiled quickly and turned away. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Mary and she shrugged as she strode down the path. Mary followed, leaving the weeping women. One can’t get involved in every crisis she reassured herself, picking up the deck with the rest of her things and turning towards the car. She didn’t notice that she’d left the two cards behind.
This has been fun. I loved the original newspaper competition from which this idea arose. It's challenging to try to convey a story and meaning in such a small space (200 words). As with haiku you have to use words sparely and creatively to convey meaning. The image and the feeling are important as Khatrunan(can't remember exact spelling - sorry) said in the posts about haiku.
I'd love to see others have a go. In the meantime, I hope you've been entertained for a few minutes!
Blessings,
Moongold
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| allibee |
25 Dec 2002 |
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Originally posted by Moongold
Mary idly picked up the two cards and looked at them, Five Pentacles and Queen Rods. There is something very refreshing about the Old Path deck, she thought. I’m glad I got it. The Queen of Wands is my Significator and I don’t mind looking like this.
Then she felt a chill and looked up. The wind had lifted and disturbed the leaves. It was a familiar evening sound, reminding her to start home. She tightened the scarf around her neck but stopped at another sound. She wasn’t alone. A few feet away a gaunt woman stood with her arm around another woman whose face was covered as if to hide the fact that she was sobbing. The gaunt one’s face was also constricted by grief and her bandaged hand, stained with blood, was raised as if to protect them both.
Mary stood, transfixed by the scene, but unable to move. Then something else caught her eye. A tall redheaded woman gazed intently at the scene, smiled quickly and turned away. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Mary and she shrugged as she strode down the path. Mary followed, leaving the weeping women. One can’t get involved in every crisis she reassured herself, picking up the deck with the rest of her things and turning towards the car. She didn’t notice that she’d left the two cards behind.
Naughty, naughty, *LOL*, 228 words, :)
I have enjoyed reading your thread very much moongold, and just wish I had some time to have a go myself, but it seems around here there is no peace for the wicked.
Keep it up
Best wishes
allibee
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| Moongold |
25 Dec 2002 |
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Thanks allibee,
Yes, I'm a bit weary post Christmas.
And with three kids and all that you do, I can see where your time goes!
Cheers,
Moongold
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The Story telling thread was originally posted on 23 Dec 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.
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