Bleeds Quote by Ntozake Shange
““we need a god who bleeds now a god whose wounds are not some small male vengeance some pitiful concession to humility a desert swept with dryin marrow in honor of the lord we need a god who bleeds spreads her lunar vulva & showers us in shades of scarlet thick & warm like the breath of her our mothers tearing to let us in this place breaks open like our mothers bleeding the planet is heaving mourning our ignorance the moon tugs the seas to hold her/to hold her embrace swelling hills/i am not wounded i am bleeding to life we need a god who bleeds now whose wounds are not the end of anything””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “we need a god who bleeds” (performance poetry, 1990s)
A call for a divine presence that embraces pain, fertility, and collective healing rather than distant, punitive power.
In simple terms: We need a god who shares our suffering and nurtures life.
Key Takeaway
Embrace a compassionate, wounded divinity.
Themes
feminine spirituality
healing
collective trauma
environmental awareness
Mood
reflective
intense
hopeful
Type
poetic
spiritual
activist
When to use this quote
- ritual gatherings
- community healing circles
- environmental activism
- artistic expression
- personal grief work
Key Concepts
mythic archetypes
embodiment
eco‑spirituality
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we embody this wounded divinity in daily life?
- What practices help transform personal pain into collective healing?
A Different Perspective
May be idealized; some may find the imagery too intense or alienating.
