Synkroniciti is delighted to welcome back Seattle poet Scott Ferry, twice winner of our poetry contest—Empowered! in 2022 and Belonging in 2024. In Expectations, he presents three striking poems inspired by the Ryder-Waite Tarot, illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith.
One of our Expectations contest finalists, “i have never been able to accept good fortune (Ten of Cups),” confronts the persistent reluctance many of us feel when joy arrives unexpectedly. Scott reflects on the incongruity of celebration in a world where unraveling is inevitable.
“children dancing as if they have never wept/ a couple embracing as if they have never fought// i pull this card and smirk—/ my portent does not breathe like this—”
Even as he resists the card’s idyllic promise, Scott insists that presence itself is the gift. Experience, not perfection, is what endures. His imagery—brutal yet tender—forces us to confront the fragility of joy and the persistence of suffering, while affirming that even amid hardship, we remain capable of glorious feeling. This revelation is nothing short of miraculous.
In “as a child (VII The Chariot, X The Wheel of Fortune),” Scott explores how age teaches us that life does not move in a straight line but spirals through repetition, transformation, and surprise. His martial imagery reminds us that human nature is instinctive and violent, even as he asserts it is not without warmth, empathy, and the potential for growth.
“i have turned my mask inside out/ and shaken out the clots”
The final poem, “when it is time to ride the gondola (Six of Swords),” is a luminous meditation on love, family, and mortality.
“i can’t say i am sorry to leave this place/ i am regretful the pain of my passing will cause/ to not hold my family for a bit longer/ yet i will do so from there/ or here or every nowhere—”
Here, Scott’s confidence in love becomes transformational, affirming, and full of awe. His vision is one of continuity beyond loss, a testament to the endurance of connection.
Scott Ferry helps our Veterans heal as a RN in the Seattle area. He has two books birthing in 2026: Blood on the Map of Man from Luchador Press and Inheritance of Air with Aakriti Kuntal from Meat For Tea Press. More can be found @ ferrypoetry.com.