a woman is not a potted plant.

[a woman is not

a potted plant

her roots bound

to the confines

of her house

a woman is not

a potted plant

her leaves trimmed

to the contours

of her sex

a woman is not

a potted plant

her branches

espaliered

against the fences

of her race

her country

her mother

her man

her trained blossom

turning

this way

& that

to follow

the sun

of whoever feeds

and waters

her

a woman

is wilderness

unbounded

holding the future

between each breath

walking the earth

only because

she is free

and not creepervine

or tree.

nor even honeysuckle

or bee.]

-alice walker.