Promises of success unfulfilled.

This is another of the Very Modern images; the spectre of homelessness just didn’t exist in a less intensely urban society the way it does now. Failing your Great Potential and ending up broken and lost is a constant fear in this modern world, especially if you were one of the Smart Kids. Society is happy to hand you any number of clubs to beat yourself up with when you’re down and out; you’re just no good if you can’t find a job, you’re a drain on society, you’re a worthless layabout, a bum… hit yourself with these long enough, and you’ll find yourself pinned down weeping in the middle of the Ten of Swords.

There is almost no green in this card. No nature in the middle of the snowy city. No money in the homeless person’s pocket. The trees look dead, the streets are empty. But the wheel of seasons turns. The last leaf will drop, but the tree survives to burst into glorious greenery again. Contemplate that as you stare at the dead sticks, and keep the baseball bat handy. Just in case. You might need it. (When all of your possessions fit into one trash bag, is it really worth defending them? Maybe it is.)

Still, this is not a good place to stay. Get yourself moving out of it if you can. Find some warmer climes. Find somewhere to blossom.