Ecstatic Multiplicity: Venus in the Temple of Mercury

Souls on the Banks of the Acheron (1898) by Adolf Hirémy-Hirschl

The image above is one of my favorite imaginings of Hermes/Mercury. It doesn't seem to convey any Venusian theme at first look, but it does link Mercury to the archetypes of Magician and Psychopomp, guide of souls.

When I tie these two archetypal associations to Venusian themes of beauty, creativity and style together in my mind, the idea of the artist as magician and guide of images and dreams from the imaginal realm into the realm of forms comes into focus. And this got me dreaming.

Venus approaching and conjoining Uranus this week, then moving into Gemini just two days apart (and entering my 3rd house), has me in an experimental mood.

After thinking about this week's astrological weather and archetypal dynamics, and with a little help from Mercury in Leo moving into it’s retrograde shadow today, I decided to try something different and reengage with my creative writing background after a very long hiatus.

So, I’ve conjured “forecasts” for each of the twelve signs to align with this mercurial Venusian and Uranian energy bubbling up within me.

If I fail miserably, then I just might be on to something.

ARIES

sun in mouth

one shining word

blurred not one

beaming sun among them

herd

or heard

dark stadium

oceans turn like pages

TAURUS

restless mind a homebound thief

with playing children chalk

on nursery walls bookish lions drawn

mane & manuscript

golden pen on black daybed

in secret read across

one twin stares desire moves

neon quick down open vaults

GEMINI

transforming skies roaring mouth divide hidden now electrified

boom bloom boom

CANCER

what beauty dreams effervescent joy

escapes feet-first veiled in violet sea

beyond double-vision a final gate

soon open ionizing

clean the water’s face

what thought of earth if grave wealth stolen

gazing far in moonlit pasture

stable spade in fluid soil breathe

be still in golden deep

dream dead dreams to sleep

LEO

speak loud now Promethean wish

burn love down tomorrow

invisible balance devoured sunflower

burn love down to marrow

VIRGO

faith per view mine wealth from mind & silt

bees sift freed from hive show what honey built

waters rise & drown dream cities’ noise to melt

harden death’s pure disguise bloom what isn’t felt

sky-blue heads tilt winter hues now no mind is left

LIBRA

over lightning go now love

from weight of cave high far away

whatever share do not take

over lightning know no bound

over lightning go love now

speak wish & power proud

depth of air hear saffron sun

loud in burning ear

by lightning love become unbound

rust & shatter iron spear

SCORPIO

hieroglyphs red valley stone

some wise winter king

carve names in bone gather tribes

plant ash like seed

blood-stained duvets flash forward now

twelve new darks to covet

fate it seems sparks dry leaves

inverts the swollen summit

star-fed mouths agape now call

nothing left to bleed

fate spark these leaves to speak

call your choir home

SAGITTARIUS

good neighbors guide black hot-air

balloons

down by rope

no moon

backdrop blinding night

that breathing

fire lights them up

CAPRICORN

across cold quiet water

the rhododendron ruin

slow decay so bright

brave statues in the mud

paths beneath this garden flood

descend & snake & climb

twelve black sandal feathers

drift lit by noonday sun

float over reflected sky

joy & golden laughter sing

alive death’s holy temple

dissolve what’s said & done

summer-sweet companion

so far away rebuilding

what remains of time

AQUARIUS

white bovine releases

iridescent

skeleton

key

kaleidoscope door

hallway behind

flux

toward

radiant center

tell me of

radical love &

what psyche seeks

PISCES

twelve dark envelopes

twelve hollow homes

antelopes underwater

charging silver wombs

milk-white ink

hive & swarm & din

collectives undiscovered

hidden fountain pens

morning star heal heal heal

heal every melting bone

twelve open envelopes

twelve homes aglow