Poem on the book of Jonah (Sharon T)

Jonah

By Sharon Thambudorai

Jonah was ordered to go unto Nineveh,

Call out against the evil before Jehovah.

He went down to Joppa and to Tarshish he sailed.

A great wind was sent by the Lord who he failed.

Soon, the lots were cast, on Jonah it fell.

“Take me up and cast me forth,” said the one who did rebel.

Against their will when the storm would not go,

They picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea below! 

A great big fish swallowed Jonah, whole.

Three days and three nights he spent, feeling out of control.

Jonah prayed and prayed, knowing the Lord was good,

And the fish vomited Jonah and on dry land he stood.

So, this second time when Jonah received the word of the Lord,

He obeyed, went to Nineveh, fulfilling the wishes of God.

“Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown,” he proclaimed.

The Ninevites fasted and wore sackcloth for now believers they became.

The king did the same, telling everyone to abide,

For maybe God would relent if they swallowed their pride?

This, God did when He saw Nineveh turn from the ways of the wicked ,

But Jonah was displeased, and in his prayer, he admitted,

“Lord, I know you are gracious, merciful and especially forgiving,

Take my life, Lord, for it is better for me to die than just living.

This is why I fled to Tarshish, for your love is so abounding.

How could mercy be shown on all those wrong-doings?”

The Lord spoke to Jonah; “Have you any right to be angry?”

So Jonah went to the east, where the city, he could see.

God provided him with shade in the form of a vine on a leafy tree.

This shade eased Jonah, and pleased him greatly.

At dawn the next day, a worm chewed up the plant.

The sun rose, and a scorching east wind, God did grant.

Jonah’s head soon grew faint,

He said he wanted to die, in a haste.

Jonah pitied the plant that grew and died in a day,

The plant he did not labour for in any way,

But the Lord told him how the people of Nineveh were;

Where even telling their right hand from their left was a total a blur.

The Lord explained all this to Jonah since He cared.

He said. “This is why the city of Nineveh was spared.”