The Good Dad

For the April 'poem a day' challenge this year, I'm writing haibun to explore and reflect on my new Tarot deck, Forests of Enchantment. This is the last day of April and the final one in the series. 

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The Keeper of Boons (in other contexts King of Pentacles), being of the Earth element, embodies the highest practical wisdom. He’s a rescuer and problem-solver and has all sorts of physical skills and knowledge. 

When the card indicates its qualities rather than a personality, it tells you that material help or practical advice is available. As a person, it suggests someone ‘warm, jolly, lusty and generous’. The Emperor in Tarot represents the father among other things, but I see this fellow as having a fatherly energy too (and a king is traditionally the father of his people). 

Of course I like even better the decks such as Voyager, where the highest card in a suit has no specific gender. But – loving the one we’re with – this is a good expression of male energy. His shadow side is described as overbearing and judgmental, but hopefully by the time one gets to become a king, one has learned how to accept and integrate the shadow so as to achieve balance. (Though, let’s face it, few of us get to be perfectly integrated and balanced. Most people are a bit of a mixture.)

Some men can be what I once heard described as ‘a benevolent bully’ – so focused on looking after you and giving you what they think you want and need, that they don’t give you much chance to make your own decisions, let alone the necessary mistakes we all need to learn from. Hopefully the Keeper of Boons is not like that, and will step back and give women, children, colleagues, friends (and even subjects … er, subordinates?) room to move as they need.  

I liked having

a Dad who knew things

and could whittle