Symbolism & Imagery:
One of the most iconic and yet simple images of the Rider Waite Smith tarot deck, the Three of Swords card, features a large, red heart pierced by three swords against a background of a stormy sky.
The swords are still stuck in the heart, symbolizing that whatever pain has been inflicted by them is still ongoing, and yet, there is a fear that releasing that pain will cause more problems, just as removing a weapon from a wound actually can cause death by bleeding out.
It is a simple but effective image to remind us that sometimes releasing pain can be more difficult than holding it in; however, it is impossible to heal these wounds otherwise.