Pen's Guide to The Pen Tarot - Golden Apples

[Papageno]

So, I just received my copy of the guide to this lovely deck and was pleasantly intrigued by The Sun card and the accompanying poem by WB Yeats, The Song of the Wandering Aengus

Wandering Aengus Poem

The reference to golden apples brought to mind the Greek myths concerning said tantalizing objects of delight, and while the Yeats poem bears little, if any resemblance to the parables of the Greek myths, it's interesting to note the juxtaposition between the golden apples of the sun and the golden apples in the Garden of Hesperides.

Garden of Hesperides

This card was inspired by the E.E. Cummings poem, "I Will Wade Out" that wasn't able to be quoted from since the work is still under copyright protection, so I will provide a link here:

Wade Out Poem

[Pen]

I tend to forget about the guide books, which were formatted when the edition went OOP in order to provide not only a guide but an opportunity for anyone so inclined to cut out and laminate their own set of cards. As the images have the reverse printed on the back, this leaves the text and cover of the guidebook intact.The image on the cover can then be used on a box lid. The cards will be slightly smaller than the limited edition of 100, so there shouldn't be any confusion if a home-laminated deck were to be resold.

I formatted the Wild Green Chagallian and the Liminal in the same way, but have re-formatted the Liminal to create a tarot sized deck and published it with MPC as The New Liminal.

It was fascinating finding quotes for The Pen Tarot - I love both The Wandering Aengus and I Will Wade Out, but have tended to neglect poetry lately as I've been very caught up with one thing or another.

Here's Christy Moore with the poem put to music.

[Papageno]

I tend to forget about the guide books, which were formatted when the edition went OOP in order to provide not only a guide but an opportunity for anyone so inclined to cut out and laminate their own set of cards. As the images have the reverse printed on the back, this leaves the text and cover of the guidebook intact.The image on the cover can then be used on a box lid. The cards will be slightly smaller than the limited edition of 100, so there shouldn't be any confusion if a home-laminated deck were to be resold.

Books for me are as sacred as an original first edition of a Tarot deck, the thought of cutting and laminating is heinous, but that's just cranky 'ole me.

I'm sure you're familiar with those huge 18th or 19th (?) century books that were early catalogs of sea life, flora and fauna.

The color prints of fantastical sea creatures, etc. were removed and sold as separate sheets or folios, while the bindings and texts were discarded. Hideous.

However, it was considerate of you to provide people who are so inclined and have that kind of skill and patience, the opportunity to construct their own deck.

[Pen]

I'm sure you're familiar with those huge 18th or 19th (?) century books that were early catalogs of sea life, flora and fauna.

The color prints of fantastical sea creatures, etc. were removed and sold as separate sheets or folios, while the bindings and texts were discarded. Hideous.

Any old books with engravings were (and still are, I believe) bought by dealers for this reason. Some of the floral ones were hand coloured by their owners and ended up framed and sold on. Very sad indeed. Sacrilege.