Tarot Discussion Group, Card of the Week.

V of Pentacles: Poverty

I've had a few reasons to think about this card lately, So at the risk of getting up on my soapbox, I have chosen this as the card for the week. The Image in the Robin Wood Tarot is much closer to the traditional UW image, It shows two persons suffering from the worst sort of grinding poverty. Apparently homeless, wearing rags, suffering the wrath of the elements. We have two people suffering the worst life has to offer, in the shadow of a church. The Church is important, does it represent society turning its back on the charactors, its doors bolted against them. Or does it represent, as literally depicted, the charactor turning his back on the church. Of course it could mean both, if you show me your back, I'll soon show you mine.

This is a vision of poverty we, Americans, like to think we have moved beyond. I'm quite sure we have not left that poverty behind us. Two years ago I was still working 2 jobs just to make ends meet. One of those jobs was Midshift Security. The homeless where part of my daily life, I got to know a several of them by name, and a few like "TWA" and "Coffee Man" became friends. I could not help but be acutely aware of their condition. I had a woman arrested one, winters, night for trying to snitch chips through the grate of a deli. The only clothes on her back were her jeans and a thread bare blouse with a slit down the side so large I could clearly see her bosom, when she turned to the side. I did not have her arrested because I was worried about the merchants bag of chips, I did so to get her a hot meal and some better clothes. It was not all Honkey Dory Smackers working with the homeless. Once coming into work, I passed one in a service corridor asleep. No big, Till she saw me, startled, she pinned her back against the wall and hissing, and clawing defensively in my direction like a cat. I went to the intercom, called in backup and had her picked up. I did have an obligation to protect the Patrons, Maintenance people and fellow guards as well, and some people go quite simply mad. In fact my unscientific opinion is that in time, if they are not rescued from the street, they all do. Man is not meant to live without shelter. Overtime malnutrition causes them to go mad, and shortly after that, they are gods problem. So I have taken the opportunity to post the link to the Hunger Website. Its a sponsored charity, all you need do is click on their button to donate some food to some of the worlds poorest people.