--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A language so beautiful and lethal My…" description: "\"“A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I speak it.—”\" — Gwendolyn MacEwen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png" --- # A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I… ![“A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I speak it.—” quote by Gwendolyn MacEwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png) > ““A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I speak it.—”” [Gwendolyn MacEwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-macewen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes language as both beautiful and painful, causing personal injury when expressed. **In simple terms:** Language can be beautiful yet hurtful. Key Takeaway Choose words that heal rather than wound. Themes communication beauty pain Mood introspective melancholic Type poetic literary When to use this quote - writing - public speaking - interpersonal conflict - creative expression Key Concepts linguistics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does the beauty of language mask its potential harm? - When have you felt “mouth bleeds” from speaking? A Different Perspective Beautiful language can still cause harm if misused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful Lethal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-lethal-899209/) [Bleeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bleeds/) [Bleeds Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bleeds-speak-2231942/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-beautiful-241365/) [Mouth Bleeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mouth-bleeds-4089743/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [“Here is a book of tongues. Take it. (Dark leaves invade the air.) Beware! 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She was the final knife in his heart. He opened his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goolrick/she-was-the-beautiful-lethal-insinuating-spider-he-had-waited-for-all/) [Robert Goolrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goolrick/) > [“She was the beautiful, lethal, insinuating spider he had waited for all his life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-goolrick/she-was-the-beautiful-lethal-insinuating-spider-he-had-waited-for-all-2/) [Robert Goolrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-goolrick/) > [And how does God speak to you?" "In the language of everything that is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/and-how-does-god-speak-to-you-in-the-language-of-everything-that-is/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [I want to learn how to speak Italian. For years, I'd wished I could speak Italian--a language I find more beautiful than roses :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-want-to-learn-how-to-speak-italian-for-years-i-d-wished-i-could/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > ['One Leg Too Few' by Peter Cook is a perfect sketch. The setting is ridiculous, the language is beautiful, and the performances make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/one-leg-too-few-by-peter-cook-is-a-perfect-sketch-the-setting-is/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I can see that 'Switched at Birth' is attracting audiences because of the diversity and the American Sign Language as well. American Sign Language…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-berdy/i-can-see-that-switched-at-birth-is-attracting-audiences-because-of/) [Sean Berdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-berdy/) > [That Portuguese language is so beautiful when it is sung and even spoken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-j-thomas/that-portuguese-language-is-so-beautiful-when-it-is-sung-and-even/) [B. J. Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-j-thomas/) > [Infatuation is the language of a beautiful eye upon a sensitive heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-r-bartlett/infatuation-is-the-language-of-a-beautiful-eye-upon-a-sensitive-heart/) [Joseph R. Bartlett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-r-bartlett/) > [Marian Palaia is a writer of startling grace and sensuous lyricism - reading her, you feel as if you've never heard language this beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonis-agee/marian-palaia-is-a-writer-of-startling-grace-and-sensuous-lyricism/) [Jonis Agee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonis-agee/) > [Language is the most beautiful and destructive thing because it allows you to express yourself, but it totally confuses everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-lowman/language-is-the-most-beautiful-and-destructive-thing-because-it/) [Nate Lowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-lowman/) > [I'm shy, but sometimes my voice is so clear and strong. Your tongue moves, and the Arabic language is so beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hakeem-olajuwon/i-m-shy-but-sometimes-my-voice-is-so-clear-and-strong-your-tongue/) [Hakeem Olajuwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hakeem-olajuwon/) > [In the hearing world, I'm constantly having to lip-read and trying to understand what's going on. Sign language is so beautiful. It gives you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-ayling-ellis/in-the-hearing-world-i-m-constantly-having-to-lip-read-and-trying-to/) [Rose Ayling-Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-ayling-ellis/) ## More by Gwendolyn MacEwen > [“And the people believe, because Julian lets them believe... he does not force, suggest, tease, prod -- he lets them believe, he draws margins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/and-the-people-believe-because-julian-lets-them-believe-he-does-not/) [Gwendolyn MacEwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-macewen/) > [Now you comprehend your first and final lover / in the dark receding planets of his eyes, / and this is the hour when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/now-you-comprehend-your-first-and-final-lover-in-the-dark-receding/) [Gwendolyn MacEwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-macewen/) > [“Here is a book of tongues. Take it. (Dark leaves invade the air.) Beware! 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When something bad happens, why do you have to pick at it until it bleeds all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/why-are-you-doing-this-to-yourself-when-something-bad-happens-why-do/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Love bleeds you dry until the red organ ceases to beat”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-watson/love-bleeds-you-dry-until-the-red-organ-ceases-to-beat/) [Sonya Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-watson/) > [When the bad bleeds, then is the tragedy good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-tourneur/when-the-bad-bleeds-then-is-the-tragedy-good/) [Cyril Tourneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-tourneur/) > [The man is United - cut him and he bleeds red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-brazil/the-man-is-united-cut-him-and-he-bleeds-red/) [Alan Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-brazil/) > [The old newspaper adage, 'If it bleeds, it leads,' is as true today as it was a century ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-diamandis/the-old-newspaper-adage-if-it-bleeds-it-leads-is-as-true-today-as-it/) [Peter Diamandis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-diamandis/) > [Love is not love that wounded bleeds And bleeding sullies slow. Come death within my hands and I Unto my love will go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-smith/love-is-not-love-that-wounded-bleeds-and-bleeding-sullies-slow-come/) [Stevie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-smith/) > [The only man we have any respect for, is he who uses all the endowment he has, and uses it until he bleeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-h-fischer-2/the-only-man-we-have-any-respect-for-is-he-who-uses-all-the-endowment/) [Martin H Fischer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-h-fischer-2/) > [There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more painful than anything that bleeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-wounds-that-never-show-on-the-body-that-are-deeper-and-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A broken heart bleeds tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/a-broken-heart-bleeds-tears/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Mr. Garrison: I don't trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn't die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/south-park/mr-garrison-i-don-t-trust-anything-that-bleeds-for-five-days-and/) [South Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/south-park/) > [Who you are contributes to your poetry in a number of important ways, but you shouldn't identify with your poems so closely that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorianne-laux/who-you-are-contributes-to-your-poetry-in-a-number-of-important-ways/) [Dorianne Laux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorianne-laux/) [Browse all 49 Bleeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bleeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I speak it.—”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gwendolyn MacEwen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mouth-bleeds-when-i-speak-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bleeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mouth-bleeds-when-i-speak-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a77/gwendolyn-macewen-55929_bleeds_a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mo_2266354.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A language so beautiful and lethal My mouth bleeds when I speak it.—” — Gwendolyn MacEwen", "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": "Gwendolyn MacEwen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-macewen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A language so beautiful and lethal...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mouth-bleeds-when-i-speak-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-macewen/a-language-so-beautiful-and-lethal-my-mouth-bleeds-when-i-speak-it/#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 } } ] } ```