Flower White Queen Can someone please help me develop a theme to William Carlos William poem "Queen Anne's Lace"?
Her body is not so white as
anemony petals nor so smooth—nor
so remote a thing. It is a field
of the wild carrot taking
the field by force; the grass
does not raise above it.
Here is no question of whiteness,
white as can be, with a purple mole
at the center of each flower.
Each flower is a hand’s span
of her whiteness. Wherever
his hand has lain there is
a tiny purple blemish. Each part
is a blossom under his touch
to which the fibres of her being
stem one by one, each to its end,
until the whole field is a
white desire, empty, a single stem,
a cluster, flower by flower,
a pious wish to whiteness gone over—
or nothing.
In "Queen Anne's Lace," literal and figurative description have been carefully joined, rather than simply juxtaposed. And the poem's breadth of focus is breathtaking-it is a still life, a landscape, and a time-lapse photographic sequence. As if the poet were a botanist and we his best students, Williams shows us how the stem splits into a cluster of stems radiating upward, each supporting a white flowerette which, edging the others, composes the flower's lacy head. When Williams personifies the plant, his rhetoric carefully preserves its unique structure. The sun becomes an ardent male who creates a lover for himself touch by touch: "Each part / is a blossom under his touch / to which the fibres of her being / stem one by one." Williams then rapidly accelerates the pace of the poem, so that we see the field becoming populated in spring and the lovers increasing the momentum of their lovemaking. Then, suddenly, winter has come again, and the couple lies spent: ". . . stem one by one, each to its end, / until the whole field is a / white desire, empty, a single stem, / a cluster, flower by flower, / a pious wish to whiteness gone over— / or nothing." Pumping blood into Emerson's rather cerebral equation of natural and spiritual facts, Williams' "Queen Anne's Lace" shows them to be signs of sexual facts as well. Metaphor, personification, and myth-making accompany literal description, and the still life's landscape is emptied or filled within the leap of a line of verse.
Dong Quai is considered the ultimate, woman's herb. Women use it as a general blood tonic, but it is mainly held in high regard by women who take it regularly as a tonic for general all round well being.
Here we will look at the herb and its benefits.
The name Dong Quai covers several different strains of Angelica which include:
Angelica sinensis, Angelica polymorpha and Angelica acutiloba and others
Dong Quai & Ginseng
Dong Quai is also known as Tang Kuei, and is held in high regard in Chinese medicine almost as highly as panax ginseng.
Dong Quai has been used in China for around 2,500 years, where it is believed to have Yin qualities, whilst Panax ginseng has the opposite qualities of Yang.
Dong Quai or angelica, is an aromatic herb that grows in China, Korea, and Japan and is used by herbalists as a treatment for a variety of gynecological treatments from regulating the menstrual cycle, to treating menopausal symptoms.
Dong Quai grows at high altitudes in the cold, mountainous regions of China, Korea and Japan.
Dong Quai is a fragrant, perennial plant which has purplish stems and bears clusters of white flowers and winged fruits in July and August.
The yellowish-brown thick-branched roots of the dong Quai plant have a number of medicinal uses.
It takes three years for the plant to reach maturity, after which time the root is harvested and is made into tablets and powder for sale as a tonic.
Nutritional makeup
Dong quai contains vitamins E, A and B12 and rich in tannins.
Researchers have isolated at least six coumarin derivatives that exert antispasmodic and vasodilatory effects.
The essential oil in dong quai contains Ligustilide, butylphthalide, Ferulic acid and various polysaccharides. These elements can help reduce blood clotting and relax peripheral blood vessels.
Medical testing
Dong quai contains compounds that, in laboratory tests, have demonstrated activities that can help with the following:
Reduction of pain, dilation of blood vessels, and stimulation and relaxation of uterine muscles.
Studies on animals seem to indicate that dong quai may treat abnormal heart rhythm, prevent accumulation of platelets in blood vessels, protect the liver, help with urination, act as a laxative, help promote sleep and relaxation and finally, fight infection.
Claims and Common Uses for Dong Quai are:
1. Increases the effects of ovarian and testicular hormones.
2. Can be used in the treatment of liver disorders.
3. High iron content believed to help prevent iron deficiency anemia.
4. Aids in regulating blood sugar levels and lowers blood pressure.
5. Relieves constipation and insomnia.
6. Exhibits anti-tumor, anti-bacterial activity.
7. Used in the treatment of arrhythmia and heartburn.
8. Brings relief from symptoms of PMS, migraine headaches, abdominal pain and arthritis.
9. Believed to help women resume normal menstruation after using birth control pills.
10. Acts as a mild sedative which can help relieve both stress and anxiety.
11.Strengthens internal reproductive organs, helps with endometriosis and internal bleeding or bruising.
12. Relieves menopausal conditions such as vaginal dryness and hot flushes.
Dosage
The powdered root can be used in capsules or tablets. Women normally take 3-4 grams daily in three separate dosages. Alternatively, 3-5 ml of tincture are taken three times per day.
Side effects
Dong Quai may cause fair-skinned people to become more sensitive to light. People using it on a regular basis should limit prolonged exposure to the sun. Dong Quai is not recommended for pregnant or women who are breast-feeding
About the Author
For more on health and nutrition including: Articles, ezines magazines and downloads visit http://www.net-planet.org/health.html
Clematis Seed Why do I get lots of fuzzy seed pods on my clematis and no blooms?
I have a clematis that has been planted for at least 7 years now. Originally it bloomed beautifully. The last 2 years it has produced very few blooms. It is covered in buds that look like they will become blooms but then they go straight to the fuzzy seed pod stage. This is a late blooming clematis and I cut it back in late fall after the vines die. The vine is healthy and abundant every year. I have an early bloomer in a different location that is beginning to do the same thing. A friend told me to add some lime to the soil. I did that 2 days ago. Any other suggestions?
Yes, I have them both planted where they get lots of sun. I cut them back to a few inches above the ground and add mulch at the end of the fall. The ground around them is kept mulched. They are planted at the base of posts wrapped in stock wire. The vines come back strong every year and cover the posts.
Are you following the basics for clematis?
1. Clematis like full sun, but like to keep their feet cool...put plenty of mulch over the base of the plant.
2. After the flowers bloom, pinch them off.
3. Cut the plant down to the base at the end of autumn.
July gardening tips for the green (and not so green!) fingered!
Here are some tips for you this July for what you can be getting on with in the garden!
Easy and colourful pots and planters!
Dust off those patio containers and add some colour to your garden this summer. Now is the time for planting up some lovely bedding plants for containers and baskets and it couldn’t be simpler.
Create a nice Mediterranean feel by mixing some trailing ivy with geraniums to give a colourful and easy to look after container or hanging basket. Geraniums are great plants for those people who might not necessarily be green-fingered. They’re easy to look after and give an abundance of colour, without too much effort.
Give them a good watering before you plant them in their containers and then water as required and deadhead the old stems to encourage more flowers. Plant around three or so of the same type for a generous display.
They will also benefit from a feed every two weeks.
Vegetable crops to sow
Through June and July you can sow lots of vegetables directly outside. Why not have a go at growing your own salad leaves this summer and add a few radishes and French beans too for good measure. Just think how you can impress your friends when you tell them that what they're eating is home-grown!
Get down to your local garden centre and pick up your seeds, the hardest part will be deciding what to plant! Have a good read on the back of the packets for the best sowing times.
It’s cheap and fun to watch them grow and the added enjoyment from being able to eat your rewards is second to none!
Introduce some wildlife into your garden
According to a recent Mori commissioned survey by the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), 38% of gardeners want to do more to encourage wildlife into their gardens, but two in five aren’t quite sure how to go about this and would welcome tips.
Whether you provide feeding trays and nesting boxes, or grow a few plants to encourage and provide for your local wildlife, there are so many things you can do.
Oh yes, the dreaded “w” word! Keep fighting the battle against the weeds by removing any flowering stems before they have a chance to drop their seeds. Lots of weeds can just be teased out by hand, but use a hoe or dig out any weeds that have larger roots…..little and often is the solution to staying on top of this.
Mulch
Mulch is a great way of providing a good feed and protection to both new and established plants. It can also look good and can even cut down on the weeding (hurrah!) Before laying down mulch, such as composted bark chipping or cocoa shells, ensure that the ground has been given a good water first.
Trim your clematis
Early-flowering species clematis (such as Clematis montana, C. macropetala and C. alpina) can be trimmed if they have become a bit overgrown, but only after flowering.
These plants flower from the growth that’s been produced the previous year and don’t generally require pruning unless it’s needed, so don’t get too carried away. Just a light pruning is enough to remove the spent flowers immediately after flowering.
About the Author
Isobel Sclater runs a garden design business in South West London (www.isobelsclater.com) and specialises in helping transform outdoor spaces into places that will give their owners year round enjoyment.
