and must address issues of confinement, dynamically generated $q\bar{q}$ vector bound states, and asymptotic freedom.

In addition to its role in the EM interaction, the QPV is a quantity of interest on its own merit. It is well known, for example, that a formal description of meson bound-state spectra and wavefunctions can be obtained by considering the interaction of a quark with an external field having the quantum numbers of the bound state of interest. In such a description, the external field excites a $q\bar{q}$ pair from the vacuum. Their subsequent gluon-mediated interactions provide self-energy and vertex dressing. The existence of bound states is exhibited by poles in the dressed vertex. The position and residue of a given pole yield information about the bound-state mass and wavefunction respectively. Vertex functions of quarks with external fields thus provide a unique environment in which to study the formation of meson bound states. The interaction with a photon is simply one example of this, and it is expected that the approach presented here can be applied to the description of bound states with other quantum numbers as well as vectors.

In this paper the QPV with gluon dressing at the ladder level of 