suicide king

It's in the cards.

That's where the cycle of 13 moons intersects the 4 seasons.
A living archetype buried beneath everyday familiarity.
Anthony shows me the red suicide king with his drawn sword
stuck in his head, pointing at his heart.
He reads drama in the cards matching
the drama of the contest.
We are first-times spades partners. I soon find
he is a wizard of cards
who enjoys the game commentary
as much as the game -
and he finds I am a competent partner.
It is good
but the card talk spooks me.
The individual fates of the cards as we play
become our fate,
controlled by the luck of the draw,
limited by our ability to maximize their potential.
I much prefer the unplayed deck in its regal calendar
abstraction.
The celestial ordering of 4 by 13 transports me.
The cards are imprinted with the music of the spheres.
The ancestors are there.
Here card sharps and sharp cards have their moment.
Suddenly the game is over.