We’re Made in the Image: A New Poem for Health Care for All | Sojourners

We’re Made in the Image: A New Poem for Health Care for All

[Editors' note: Below is a hymn written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette about health care and God's vision for our world. Unlike many of her pieces, this poem is not set to a familiar tune.]

We’re Made in the Image

We’re made in the image

The Message expresses,

The Good News attests

That we’re formed out of sod,

That we’re made every one,

Every daughter and son,

Every wandering one,

All the faithful and funny,

The thin and the brawny,

The fearful, the hopeful,

The cloudy, the sunny,

The sinning, the grieving,

The brave and the stumbling—

We’re made in the image of God.

 

Health care not fair don’t care too bare

Leaving out the poor

The children and the elders

Like mountainous boulders

Come crashing and crushing

The middle class women

Who struggle at paying,

The men who are broken,

The children, the hungry—

Want to see a doctor

For low fare—

Hearing: don’t care,

Go there,

Wait for the doctor,

The medicine, the money—

Go get Medicaid.

Wait your turn honey,

 

Time now to be afraid

Of what’s in front of me?

Is there hope for me?

People been saving

People been slaving

All of their lives,

Now they realize

Spend it down, hit the ground,

We’re caring for the greedy,

The wealthy and the haughty,

For they say they’re the worthy,

The high and the mighty—

No room for the sick

The nursing home mama

The struggling papa.

 

No — those in power,

The mighty of the hour,

Look what they say:

Just take away, take away,

Take away more

Take from the poor—

Don’t keep score

Don’t take notice

When the rich seek more.

 

Then we hear the Message:

We’re made in the image,

The good news attests

That we’re made by the One

Who created and blessed us.

We’re made in the image

Of the One who loves us.

We’re made in the image of God.

 

In the words of Isaiah

We see God’s vision—

It’s more than wishing

it’s a way of living.

For God is creating

A joy and delight.

They’ll be no more weeping

In the deep of night.

No more distressing

No children dying

From the great transgression

Of the greedy and the haughty,

They’ll be love and beauty

They’ll be justice for all to see.

 

As children live,

So the elders too,

Will become like youth—

They’ll be healthy, strong,

And they’ll live life long

They’ll build homes to inhabit,

They’ll have feasts of food

In the neighborhood,

Never bearing for calamity

But living in society

Healthy and strong

Living all life long

Not in health care danger

Not in fear or hunger—

LIke the days of the tree

Will the days of the people be:

The wolf and the lamb

Will feed together

Every son and daughter

Blessed by God the Father.

They’ll be love and justice

As the daily practice

As we live together

As the people of God.

 

For we’re made in the image,

Sure as grows the sod,

All are made in the image of God.

Based on Genesis 1:27; Isaiah 65:17-25

Text: Copyright © 2017 by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette. All rights reserved. Carolyn gives permission for free use (printing or performing) of this poem to those who support Sojourners.