Poem for Venus Squared

By Holiday Mathis

October 20, 2026 5 min read

Venus retrograde in Scorpio challenges Pluto in an existential mood, raising questions about what we love and why. It recalls the poetry of W.B. Yeats: "How many loved your moments of glad grace, / And loved your beauty with love false or true, / But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, / And loved the sorrows of your changing face."

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Love's challenge starts with seeing yourself as you guess the other person sees you. Then you try to reconcile their version with your own. Remember that you know yourself from the inside. They know what you show them.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). The tricky thing about loving someone is respecting their individuality and need for autonomy while participating in their life at the level of intimacy you desire. Today you will find a comfortable distance that suits all.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). If only you could say the loving words on your heart, but alas, you are too savvy to selfishly start spilling your guts without first considering what the other person needs, wants and might be receptive to. Discretion is eloquence.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). What charmed someone in the early stages can get repetitive and dull, so you change it up. You may have to grow to do this. New vocabulary and new interests can feel embarrassing to acquire for love. What better reason is there?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). People can change, though in your experience they usually stay much the same over the relatively short span of certain relationships. Look at the pattern you already know. In this light, what do you think is going to happen next?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). When you were younger, you thought certain gestures meant someone really loved you. Now you recognize more ways people show love. You accept a wider range of evidence as care and affection. This gives people more chances to delight you.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). You're accustomed to helping people treat you very well by showing them how to meet your expectations. That's work you won't have to do today because you'll be around people who just know instinctively the best way to celebrate you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). If love is an ocean, you hope there will be many islands to port. Long journeys at sea can get boring after a while. You need new influences and fresh scenery. Together you will find another shore to explore.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Instead of expecting one person to provide ten things, you could have ten people providing one apiece. Some other configuration may suit you even better. Spread your social needs around and you will put less pressure on each relationship.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You have loved people for their potential before. Today you will deal with the person in front of you. Note what they value, how they live and whether that's something you could be interested in if it stayed exactly the same.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You can love someone and still find parts of their world tedious enough to skip. They can have interests that belong to them and only to them and so can you. One relationship, two separate people.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). You sometimes understand the reason behind someone's behavior so well that you excuse the behavior itself. Today, keep the explanation and examine what actually happened and whether that's acceptable to you.

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (OCTOBER 20). In your Year of the Whispering Stars, it will feel as though you are nudged into perfect situations that feature your gifts and stretch your horizons. Decisions you make easily will prove felicitous, leading you to fate's sweetest offerings. More highlights: A certificate or prize that becomes part of your legacy. Companionship that comforts, delights and fortifies you. An array of treats and splurges. Leo and Taurus adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 4, 17, 32, 6 and 50.

CELEBRITY PROFILES: John Krasinski continues the "Jack Ryan" franchise in "Ghost War," where longtime friend Michael Kelly says their real-life camaraderie naturally carries over to the screen. Like a Libra, Krasinski has built a career around memorable partnerships, whether in comedy, action, directing, or producing. His Libra Sun reflects the sign's gift for collaboration, diplomacy and bringing out the best in the people around him.

For contact info and more Holiday magic, go to HolidayMathis.com

Photo credit: Juri Noga at Unsplash

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