I wrote this poem during a time of questioning and discernment when I was in seminary.  During a winter trip, some of my questions were answered in this mystical moment.  By the way, a "theophany" is an appearance of God on earth.

Theophany


by Tess Baumberger

I am in Sequoia National Park.
It is January,
the first sunny day
after the first snowfall of the year.

The only sounds are
unfamiliar clacking of my
rented snowshoes
and the muffled thuds
of snow dropping from trees,
far-away-firework sounds.

I stop at a cool collection
of sequoia sisters
circled,
cinnamon-stick
brown, and red.
Blue sky and bright sun
interspersed among their
frowsy hairdos.

And a cloud of snow
meanders down,
forgetful  of gravity,
lazily, a boy kicking his heels,
not ready to come in to dinner.

The sun lights it into
a cascade of crystals,
a curtain composed of
diminutive diamonds,
gently wavered by the wind.

The snow continues
to thud softly
behind me.

And God is here.
And it’s been a long time
since I’ve seen her,
this clearly.

And joy overflows
my eyes, and takes
hold of my body
and shakes it,
convulses me. 

How can the world
hold
so much beauty?

How can my
small
heart contain it?

Why have I been
called
to witness it?

What can I
do,
but proclaim it?

The sisters
smile,
knowing smiles,
long,
crooked,
sideways
smiles.

The snow curtain
listens,
glistening.

And God
holds
my hand.

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.