Soul Lifts

This is probably my most-published and beloved poem, used often for worship.





Soul Lifts                                     by Tess Baumberger

Wouldn't it be great if you could take a picture of your soul?
Then when your mother wanted to brag about you 
she could show people the picture and say,
"That's my daughter, doesn't she have a beautiful soul,  
all sparkly and many-colored and flowing all around her?"

Wouldn't it be great if we walked around 
surrounded by our souls,
so that they were the first things people saw
instead of the last things?
Then people would judge us by who we really are
instead of how we look.
Imagine no more racism, ageism, sexism, 
fatism, shortism, homophobia.
Imagine falling in love with who a person is, 
just by looking at them.

It would be a kind of cloaking device,
hiding physical faults defects 
or even perfections.
I'd want it to be mandatory.
Then people would work at making their 
souls more attractive 
instead of their bodies and faces.  

Imagine people knowing by your soul 
that you really need a hug.
Imagine people helping each other 
and their souls changing colors
or growing.

Imagine soul gyms 
with exercises to get your sagging soul in shape.
Imagine the long lines forming for soul-lifts
at churches, temples, mosques, synagogues
or nature's mighty cathedrals.

---