What the Empress Had to Say – A Poem

I kept seeing the same woman

everywhere I went. She would

leave a trail of cards behind her

as if they were flower petals.

I would approach her, hoping

that she would slow down and

I would be able to catch up

to her, but she always moved

just out of my reach. I tried

to collect the cards, but they

would start to melt,

turning to water before I could

begin to gather them.

I was able to see colours and shapes

before they faded away

but nothing more.

Another woman saw me

trying to gather the cards.

She carried a staff that

shone with a light all its own.

“The Empress is trying to

tell you something.”

I noticed that this woman

was wearing a golden

helmet with two horns that

twisted into the sky. When I

looked again, the horns were gone.

“What’s that?” I said. “What

Is she trying to tell me?”

The woman with the horns

shrugged. “Only you can know.

However, I can give you a piece

of advice. If you’re willing to listen.”

It was my turn to shrug. “Okay.

I’m listening.” I stood there,

the puddles left by the cards

forming a line of water along

the pavement. The water

looked like jewels catching the sun.

“Don’t look for what you think

your heart wants. That will lead

to disappointment. Instead,

listen to your heart. It will tell

you what it needs.”

“When?” I said. I tried to keep

the frustration out of my voice.

“When you’re willing to listen.”

She said. She bowed her head to me,

and followed the path that

the Empress had taken, using

the water to guide her.

I noticed that she had a

golden disk strapped to her back.

As she moved away from me,

I blinked again and the horns returned.

I watched her until the shadows claimed her.

I returned home to find a small package

on my front stoop surrounded

by water. I picked it up and

unwrapped it, revealing a deck of cards.

I knew this was from the Empress.

These were the cards that had

trailed behind her like flower petals.

I took the cards inside and

as I flipped through them,

I listened to what the Empress

had to say.