Audrey Poetker's "Symbols of Fertility'' provides deep insight into a childless woman's frame of mind. With bare assertions and provoking confessions, Poetker conveys a sense of suffering but suggests the presence of hope and faith among all of the troubles listed within the poem. By incorporating a theme of cycles into this poem, Poetker controls the aesthetics with forthright imagery, analogies, and symbolism, and is able to show the vulnerabilities of the narrator through the frankness and strength of her voice.

Hoping to show the frustration of a woman who has yet to carry a child despite having "touched the Robe of Christ'' (line 5), "imbibed wine'' (line 7), and "stood on…[her] head after sex'' (lines 9-10), "Symbols of Fertility'' begins with a short biblical reference to Proverbs saying, "things that are never satisfied…the grave; and the barren womb.'' This inclusion not only highlights Poetker's religious background, but it helps describe the feeling that the narrator should have. If the bible says those who have not carried children are unsatisfied, then who is not to take it seriously? By keeping "the grave'' aspect of the verse, Poetker parallels the reality of being unable to birth children to death. This small stanza creates a mood for the remainder of the poem.  There is a constant state of displeasure and almost shame because there is a shortage of children in the world with her smile (line 28).

Poetker is able to give a distinct image to this woman. Through her voice, the narrator insinuates her coldness because of this disability. Making connections with her lover, she furthers this by describing how "he avoids the saunas and hot tubs'' (line 3). The next line not only illustrates the status of their relationship, but continues this confession of her characteristics. Poetker writes, "He is always ready when my temperature is'' (line 4). If her temperature is consistently as cold as she makes it appear, the sex life that she alludes to must surely be lacking.

The woman in this poem seems to exude a delicate quality due to her powerlessness in choosing to have a child. She creates analogies between herself and her mother's good china "kept wrapped in tissue paper, stored, hedged against possibilities'' (lines 16-18). This not only makes her appear untouched, but fragile and even kind of rigid, which would be understandable considering how rarely she is touched. Yet throughout the poem, despite her situation and her cold, delicate persona, she is an extremely strong person in her faith and in life. She still has hope and it is evident in the diction used throughout the poem. In lines 12 and 13, the narrator says, "I have burning, shining faith / up against the wall.''  While this wall might present itself as a barrier, her faith and hope that she will get pregnant seems to prevail. She seems to focus on possibilities and not realities. "Perhaps someone will come to dinner,'' (line 19-20) she says. Although she knows she will not be satisfied until she bears a child, her faith is still strong. She is "tormented'' and "shivering with exhaustion,'' yet she still dreams for a child with optimism.

The title "Symbols of Fertility'' predefines the existence of symbolic elements in the poem. Among these symbolic examples is the "Robe of Christ at the cathedral in Trier'' (lines 5-6) which depicts the protection she receives from her faith, but also could symbolize an addition as the Cathedral was destroyed and rebuilt in the 5^th and 9^th centuries to contain a Holy Robe Chapel. This line and its corresponding one saying, "I have imbibed wine in the gardens in the Mosel Valley'' both reference how Poetker's life has been influenced by the German culture as both locations are found in different parts of Germany.

The narrator's three dreams also could be different symbolic aspects of the poem. Each dream seems to contain a beginning and an end. The staircase mentioned in the poem gives an allusion of choice. In her dream, the speaker can either go up the staircase or down it. The second dream involves a car driving backwards. In this dream she has no choice; she has to reverse and cannot go forward because the action is already being done for her. The last dream is of a house burning down. It is kind of a deterioration of sorts. She watches as a house goes from being a whole structure to ashes crumbling off a burnt down edifice.  These dreams give insight into the narrator's psyche regarding her ability to make decisions, take care of herself, and the idea of fertility.

Another major symbolic feature is "Fata Morgana,'' who is also known as Morgan le Fay, an enchantress who had the ability to change shape. Going along with line 22, "Mirage. Fata Morgana,'' it is interesting to know that there is a special type of mirage that supposedly gives the impression of a castle half in the sea and half in the air. It was said that Morgan le Fay made this castle appear in the air, causing seamen who mistook it for a safe harbor to be lulled to their deaths. In some legends, Morgan le Fay was King Arthur's half sister and implacable enemy. In a duel once between the two, le Fay injured Arthur and then proceeded to heal him. This could show the narrator's connection with Morgan le Fay because the two have sort of a paradoxical nature to heal and defeat. A "castle in the sky'' is also a synonym for the word "dream'' in the English Thesaurus, connecting again the narrator's dreams to her reference to Fata Morgana. In the context of this poem, this mystical reference might show the narrator's perception of God, whom she mistook as a refuge, when in reality she was deceived to think that if she prayed hard enough, and had strong faith, she would be able to reproduce.

Cycles are a major theme in this poem. The speaker describes her breasts as being "the shape of my sorrow'' (line 24). Being circular in shape, her breasts serve as symbols of how cyclic her unhappiness is. She seems to go through all these obstacles--touching Christ's robe, standing on her head, constantly being devoted to her religion--and at the end she is at the beginning because she still does not have a child. Also reflecting the cycle theme is the last section where everything seems to be connected. "As the story dreams the truth / and the truth dreams the silence /…As the silence dreams the lovers / and the children dream the breast / I dream the children'' (lines 43-48). These sequences are interconnected; one needs the other just like a child needs a mother and a mother need a child. Poetker also draws back to the initial symbol of fertility and first object to be connected to the cycle: the breasts.

"Symbols of Fertility'' propels itself with honest, provocative confessions and desires. Poetker describesthe perhaps innate need and hope for children from the perspective of a barren woman. The struggles and insecurities that accompany this woman's disability threaten her capacity to function in relationships and grow in her religion. By including literary devices like symbolism, succinct diction, and biblical references, Poetker offers a strong and sorrowful description embodying the idea of satisfaction and fulfillment. Poetker's poetry involves her personal history and interests as she draws on her involvement with Germanic heritage, Arthurian myths, and her Mennonite background. In the end, "Symbols of Fertility'' combats the typified idea that women bear children because it is expected. Instead, Poetker shows how it is not an expectation but a desire.