--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: sometimes it does not take a man or a…" description: "\"“sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only something alive”\" — Charles Bukowski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg" --- # sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only… ![“sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only something alive” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg) > ““sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only something alive”” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s spark can be an unseen, living force, not just a person. **In simple terms:** Life can be driven by something beyond humans. Key Takeaway Stay open to unexpected sources of inspiration. Themes inspiration existence mystery Mood reflective introspective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - writing - relationships - spiritual practice - artistic creation Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What non‑human forces shape your life? - How do you recognize them? A Different Perspective May be vague. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) ## Related quotes > [There's no battered woman alive who didn't know in advance that the man was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/there-s-no-battered-woman-alive-who-didn-t-know-in-advance-that-the/) [Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/) > [There wasn't a woman alive who could resist a man who paid attention to her, who made her feel like she was the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/there-wasn-t-a-woman-alive-who-could-resist-a-man-who-paid-attention/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [ALL GLORY TO MY MAMA,GODDESS AMONG WOMAN,SHE'S MY EVERYTHING ALIVE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jah-reign/all-glory-to-my-mama-goddess-among-woman-she-s-my-everything-alive/) [Jah Reign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jah-reign/) > [There's not a woman alive who wouldn't like to be 18 again; don't let anyone fool you into thinking otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-redman/there-s-not-a-woman-alive-who-wouldn-t-like-to-be-18-again-don-t-let/) [Amanda Redman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-redman/) > [There isn't a woman alive who doesn't have problems with her body. Including me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malin-akerman/there-isn-t-a-woman-alive-who-doesn-t-have-problems-with-her-body/) [Malin Akerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malin-akerman/) > [Your Mother Will Always Be There , No Woman Alive Could Take Your Mom's Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-mother-will-always-be-there-no-woman-alive-could-take-your-mom-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Chrissie Hynde is the coolest woman alive, and no man can have her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-amos/chrissie-hynde-is-the-coolest-woman-alive-and-no-man-can-have-her/) [Shawn Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-amos/) > [A woman can't be alone. She needs a man. A man and a woman support and strengthen each other. 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I do not think it happens often in anyone's life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hobb/how-often-does-a-man-know-without-question-that-he-has-done-well-i-do/) [Robin Hobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hobb/) > [Does a name stick because it suits a man or does the man, unconsciously, evolve into his name?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/does-a-name-stick-because-it-suits-a-man-or-does-the-man/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [And does man simply choose evil, or does he create it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/and-does-man-simply-choose-evil-or-does-he-create-it/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) ## More by Charles Bukowski > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. 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People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only something alive”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Bukowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-woman-only-something-alive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-woman-only-something-alive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed3/charles-bukowski-73_alive_sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-wo_2650275.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“sometimes it does not take a man or a woman, only something alive” — Charles Bukowski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Bukowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“sometimes it does not take a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-woman-only-something-alive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-it-does-not-take-a-man-or-a-woman-only-something-alive/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```