Poetry

I first entertained thoughts on God's gender when I took a required religion class at Loma Linda University, and the instructor told us that he always prayed "mother God."  He said God as a mother resonated with him and his upbringing as a child of a single mother.  I wasn't quite the feminist that I am now, so I didn't think much of it. I just figured it was an interesting concept that I didn't have much time for.  I was busy in grad school and although I enjoyed religious debate, I just wanted to pass the class without much thought. 
 But recently a friend of mine, who grew up in a nontraditional home, wrote this beautiful poem that expressed her need for God as mother.  It gave me chills.  I wanted to save it for myself and share it with my friends, so here it is.  



i dont want god the "Father"

i want god the "mother-i-never-had"

i dont want angry, ruthless war god

i want hold-me-while-I sob-in-the-dark god

i don't want kill-them-all-and-take-their-wives god

i want soft god, kiss-on-the-forehead god

i dont want dead-beat-daddy god

i want where-you-go-i-will-follow god

i want the moon at dawn in the gently haze 

not blaring sun in the blinding snow

i want god with the voice of maya angelou 

I don't want thunder-in-the-storm god

but  lata mangeshkar singing sweet ghazals 

i want,

i need,

have always needed

god who is female

la méré, maman, ma

Anjalica is a free spirit English honours and sociology student at UBC. She is a member of the Oakridge Adventist church in Vancouver. She is a frequent performer at local poetry slams and is the BEST BABYSITTER IN THE WORLD (because she always entertained my children and they thought of her as a big sister). She will always be a part of our extended family.