Over the last few years of teaching my first book, Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath (2014, Stephen F. Austin State University Press) at Lindenwood University, I was able to provide my students with some amazing graphics, thanks in part to Tamara Robinson, an artist and reader of my work in New York City. Tamara painstakingly went through the entire FSGL book and created tarot card designs to match each of the first twenty-two poems, corresponding with the major arcana of the tarot. These are no ordinary tarot card designs, however. They are using Plath’s poetic imagery instead of the traditional Rider-Waite deck’s imagery. The idea that someone could take my work and conceive these beautiful pictures astounded me then and now.
Even more astounding was that fact that on a cold, gloomy day last month, when I went to my mailbox to get my mail, there was an interesting and unexpected package from Tamara: she had her designs printed up as tarot cards! Here is the full major arcana collection on a nice card stock (tarot enthusiasts know that many readers use only the major arcana cards, so this is a usable set).
I am sharing my poor photographs, taken from my phone, here. Please pardon the glare. I am also posting two cards to see close-up detail:
The Lovers card, which fits Plath’s poem “Lady Lazarus,” features the alchemical green lion swallowing the Sun, the goddess Venus is represented by both the Venus Fly Trap plant and the Statue of Liberty. Cupid’s arrow of Eros shoots man, and more.
Above is The Sun card, which corresponds to Plath’s poem “Stopped Dead.” It is a red and yellow Sun, surrounded by astrology signs; on the left is a Moorish wall and a naked child on a horse, as in the traditional design. In the center, however, is a Macaque monkey and a scarab; on the right is a Gibraltar rock and Hamlet’s head and half-skull .
It’s quite astounding work, and such a labor of love. If readers would like me to send a close-up of another card or two, just ask and I am happy to oblige. If you’d like to get a set of these cards for yourself, you may write Tamara Robinson at: