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I am going to have to disagree with you, rchauhan. You say that "words are limiting." When, in fact, I believe words are anything but restricting. Let's take, for example, the phrase "lifting belly." I am using Stein's poem as an example because I think she, too, would agree with me in saying that words have a more significant impact on a reader/onlooker than would a picture. So, "lifting belly" is a action often repeated in Stein's lesbian love poem. Had Stein taken a picture of the same lesbian romance as depicted in her poem and titled it "Lifting Belly," the image would have less of an effect on me. I think there is only so much to a picture. Of course, pictures can be interpreted by viewers in thousand ways, as you mentioned. However, words can be interpreted, I think, in a thousand and one ways.

Just in the two words--Lifting Belly--there are a kaledioscope of images and thoughts that come to my mind.

1) The word "lifting" as opposed to "carrying," gives me, the reader, a sense that the woman being "lifted" is recieving the pleasure whereas the woman engaged in the strenous task of "lifting" is providing the pleasure.

2) The use of the word "belly," a much softer, sensual choice than "stomach" reinforces the sexy conversation of Stein's poem.

3) "Belly" implies that this is a poem about a woman because woman, unlike men, ordinarily have more of a stomach/hips for baby bearing.

4) The linguistic analysis of "lifting belly" as given by Becky in class (It was too complicated to remember!)

5) We can look up the words "lifting" and "belly" in the OED and find the history of the words as it relates, or does not relate, to sexual activity or physical interactions. The lineage of the words provides yet another dimension to the word.

All in all, I think it is easier to play with/"have sex with" words than it is with a picture. If we had just seen an image of "lifting belly" it would not do justice to the erotic word play in Stein's poem. In other words, I do not think we could come up with 1000 words that would accurately explain lesbian sex just by looking at a picture. Words, however, invite us to gather additional words and even mental images/pictures that ensue from certain words. (Ie, "lifting belly" allows me to imagine a softer, more delicate interaction as opposed to "pushing stomach" or "moving belly" or "carrying belly"). The degree of ambiguity in Stein's poem does not lessen the strength of verbal expression.

Given my example of "lifting belly" as a collection of words OR a detailed image, I would be interested to know how you thought (if you still thought) pictures are worth a 1000 words.