Woman flower reads initially like a noun until you read the poem. It becomes clear that the phrase is a verb written in the imperative.

'Do you vessel old and new?'

Nouns can be used as contextual verbs. 'Do you vessel...?' put a smile on my face. It brought to mind my Dad's - indeed a familiar Scottish habit - of using noun's as threatening verbs. For example, I ask, 'Dad, can I go to the pictures (movies)?' If he was in an off mood he would reply, 'Pictures? I'll pictures you!' Or, 'Dad, can I go to the swimming pool?' The reply, 'Swimming pool? I'll swimming pool you!' Come on, how do we pictures or swimming pool someone? So funny.
Can we 'vessel' ourselves or someone?
In poetry, yes. The boundry - less context of poetry enables.
In this context 'vessel' conveys the work of an artisan, the woman, how she forms and presents herself in a world bent on imagery and superficiality. She does this not by dressing herself - outward appearance - but by presenting the whole, not in flesh - unimaginative - but as a self - created earthen vessel - a within and without sense of being.
The entire poem is a call for women to go beyond what society scripts them to be, to be their own screenplay, as it were, their own drama, thriller, romance, the lot!

Bloom? Yes indeed.

Regards
Dai

I can inhale the senses stirred by your words! A sweet fragance permeates her...I like this! Excellent!
Love and Peace~
kimmy~

I like the questions posed here, the lovely flow and perfect rhyme. I have learned that as a woman ages, she blossoms. Age brings wisdom and enhances beauty; it is crucial to nurture it along the way. Well done Anita!
~Butch

Nurturing one's own bounty is a beautiful thing, Anita, as you demonstrate so well here. WE are the ones best placed to make us grow and we would do well to investigate and identify the seed within so that we learn how best to harvest it. Rich with image and metaphor, the warmth in this write has the effect of swelling the grain of the words and meaning within. Fragrant, thank you! :)) LOL K xx

Dearest Anita, this is beautiful. I sense it as a "dialogue" with the "self" - at least, I seem to have these conversations with myself rather frequently... - in its different and, in many cases, opposing facets. And I love the "flower" analogy - yes, we are flowers, being sown, sprouting, blossoming, wilting, reviving again. The illustration is also perfect! (Thank you for the beautiful card, dear friend. I hope you've had a sweet, radiant and truly fragrant Easter). Lots & lots of love, {{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}} & xxxxx
Alexandra*

beautiful soul-searching piece. -- Jeff

A poem worth writing is worth taking the time to check spellings. Incorrect spelling is jarring to the reader, and detracts from your poem: "it's" (it is) rather than the possessive "its," the nonexistent "cultives" rather than "cultivates," which would complete the rhyming pattern. Also, when using artwork, please attribute it--you wouldn't want someone appropriating your poem, would you? This poem is worth doing it right!

Very nice writing. I like it.

Oh, so beautiful!

Chrissy

What a wonderful write dear friend, enjoyed this poetic beauty...you've touched the heart and soul of women! Enjoyed my friend!
Blessings and Happy Easter,
Joyce Bowling

This is like a song delineating what is necessary to age with grace and dignity. Anita - this write is a gem, and has the smack of poetic intelligence running through its veins. Beautifully and wisely written.

Light and Wisdom ...

P.S. Too smart eh?

Wonderful words of empowerment, Anita...thanks. This one's in my favorites I shared with my writer buddies. Also, the picture is great . ~ Blessings, Jo

Perfection Anita!!

Happy Easter sis!!

Love Tinka

Anita,

The picture, poem and woman have blossomed perfectly my friend.

From the artwork for WOMAN FLOWER to each line of the poem itself, I couldn't help thinking: Wow, if Georgia O'Keefe were around in 2007, I could easily see her mixing these visual and literary media to create such a dynamic statement. Gorgeous words. Gorgeous work. Hope you're having a fantastic National Poetry Month.

Aberjhani

One awesome write comparable to Lenin's Mother

Fee

Only on weekends, opps....

Interesting! Be a woman true to yourself and your ideals and you will be true those surrounding you.

Be safe,
Karen

Ahhh...you have hit the nail right on the head with this one, Anita. Scrub away all the makeup, remove the nail polish and perfume, take away the designer clothes and we stand naked before our self and hopefully we will see a woman who is whole, strong and without pretense. Hopefully we will see a woman who we are proud to be and who has used her intelligence and grace to be all that she can be. So often, women consider themselves to be the weaker gender and neglect to cultivate their amazing strengths...men have nothing on us, and when we realize this, we can live together in harmony instead of competition. Excellent as always...you ROCK girlfriend! Happy Easter.
Take care,
Sherry

Lady A,

This is beautiful empowerment in exquisite lines: well done!

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

Love the graphic, too. :)

beautiful flow and great questions to ask, i enjoyed this write very much