Jonah And The Whale

God said, "Jonah, do me a favour

Tell the people in your city that they've been sinful

Selfish and greedy, cruel and heartless, thoughtless and ugly

Tell your people they need to be thinking 'bout something beside their own foolish pleasure

There's poor that need feeding and homeless need shelter

The week need protection, the laws need changing"

Jonah said, "Yes lord, I'll give 'em the message"

But in truth he was fearful and dreaded the outcome

For Jonah was well liked and quite well respected

He knew that this message would not be received well

So he put it off: "I'll tell 'em tomorrow

The people aren't ready for such harsh words"

But the lord grew angry, said "What gives here Jonah?

Go speak to your people" and Jonah said, "Yes lord"

But he just couldn't do it, he hadn't the courage

He shirked from his duty and fled from the lord's wrath

He booked him a passage on a see-going vessel

But the guilt he took with him weighed heavy upon him

And the lord rose a great storm which near sank the vessel

The Captain and crewmen looked over at Jonah

Said, "This man's done some great wrong for which he's being punished"

And with that they seized him and at once cast him over

And a great whale appeared as the lord had appointed

And swallowin' up Jonah dove deep in the ocean

For three days and three nights in it's cavernous gullet, poor Jonah floated in fish meat and brine

He awoke on the shore of some unknown country

It might have been America: I bet that it was

But somehow he got back to his beloved city and delivered the message as the lord had requested

Well, it worked out ok; no big repercussions

I don't think it helped much, least not in the long run

The city's still sinful, selfish and greedy

The poor still need food, the laws still need changing

But Jonah stood up and the word was delivered

I'm sure it wasn't easy but it had to be done

And he and the whale gave birth to a story that now rolls along with a life of it's own