All Comments on 'womanliness'

And, I think, maybe not non-erotic?

On what is not erotic :-)

Your ability to convey sensuality and femininity in a write is exquisite, the use of the mirror, of opening of experimentation this is beautiful evocative I must say I enjoy your writing.

This is just wonderful writing, SpringBreezes. I'm still digesting the words. At first I was taken back by "womanliness," not a common term compared to its counterpart, but as a read the narrative, your unique word choice fit so well.

The last stanza was such a wonderful culmination of acceptance and joy.

Thank you all for your comments! I agonize on whether these poems that straddle the categories should be entered in non- or simply erotic, and actually discussed this poem before placing it here. There's just me in this, and though the imagery clearly has erotic allusions, the message is a broader and deeper one.

Were a man to struggle to achieve a realization of his masculinity and write explicitly about that struggle in a similar way, where would it go?

I appreciate the thought you have given to my poetry more than I can say.

I agree with Greenmountaineer about the last stanza. So sensuous and absolutely beautiful - oh and never too late...

It's completely exposing of not just your body but your whole being.

The very first image of assessing your worth in the mirror, is as evocative a stanza as I have read , it covers the contours of a woman and discusses stretching which has the dual connotations of sex or birth to children, the beauty of creation or pleasure all exposed.

You even guide us there with your words as if the reader is watching you in the mirror trace you body in acceptance of what you are as a whole being.

In the second stanza

You invite the reader to be the second person that is helping you discover you, you never detail who it is so we go on a voyeuristic journey, You show us the fun flirty side of women in general I know that when I am flirting right there is laughter, giggles, and coy smiles. As an added indulgence you guide the reader to think of you indulging in yourself.

The final stanza of acceptance and realization is a beautiful embrace of femininity and claiming you woman hood,

This write is a true exposure of yourself as a woman, maybe not 100% erotic but as a man , this is as erotic as anything else I have read.

Wow. I had missed this, and I'm glad I found it! I agree with the previous comments (by the way, excellent stanza-by-stanza comment, Todski).

Your first stanza is evocative and subtly (but very) erotic, at least, to me. It's followed by a thoughtful stanza, of seeing yourself through others. And finally, achieving self-confidence and acceptance. This is self-exploration that doesn't sound self-absorbed or trite (and it's erotic, too!). Well done.