Through the Bible with Poetry: Jonah
Jon’s thoughts: To be sung or read with an English accent to the tune of You Did It From My Fair Lady. Take the time to look it up and listen to the song. Get a feel for how I envision this poem should sound. After writing so many poems that kind of have a heavy feel to them I wanted this one to be a bit more lighthearted.
Sign: an event whose occurrence indicates the presence or occurrence of something else.
The Sign Of Jonah
“We have heard it said that you can turn water into wine.
In this generation we demand a sign.
Show us a sign. A sign before us you should cast.
We are not the first to say it and we will not be the last.”
“Only an evil and adulterous generation
would demand a sign on this occasion.
Be that as it may. Be it as you wish.
The sign that I will give you is of Jonah and the fish.”
“Thou called to go and prophesy to Nineveh,
Jonah climbed aboard a boat and sailed the other way.
After a while a storm arose and raged upon the deep,
And in the belly of the ship he was fast asleep.”
“The captain came and ordered him awake.
‘Pray to your god to save us. Save us for pity’s sake.’
Jonah replied, ‘Pick me up and throw me in the sea.
The storm will soon subside, for this is all because of me.’”
“Swallowed by a great big fish,
He was surely not an appetizing dish,
He asked to be delivered from what was all around,
So the fish spat him up, spat him upon the ground.”
“Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and nights.
A dark place to be sure with no sun in sight.
And so the son of man will be in the belly of the earth.
After three days of labor pains it also will give birth.”
“The people of Nineveh did repent,
When they heard the words that Jonah vent.
Now someone greater comes whom you should not refuse.
Don’t be like those other men. Don’t turn your back and lose.”
“Great storms in life will come. Great storms upon the sea.
‘Save us! Save us!’ you will cry. ‘We perish can’t you see?’
O you of little faith. Do not be afraid with fear upon your face.
I can rebuke the wind and sea and put them in their place.”
“I speak a word, when the storms of life do rage.
I cause the wind and sea to calm. I caused them to assuage.
‘What sort of man, what sort of man can this be,
Who rises to rebuke the wind and sea?’”
“‘What sort of man can keep this tiny boat afloat,
Who calmly sleeps upon a surly sinking boat?
With a word He calms the stormy winds, He calms the raging sea.
Truly, truly, the the Son God this gentle man must be.’”
“‘Truly, truly, the the Son God this gentle man must be.’”
Jon Bannon
Image by Torsten Dederichs
© Jon Bannon 2021