Consolidation of Jonah in Progress

organizing the different pieces into one place

Jonah was a woman who heard a lot of voices

she perceived them as external

but they came from deep within her

 

her voices were commanding

as if from G-d above her

they ordered her to Nineveh

Jonah go to Nineveh

for there a job awaits you

you’re going to be a prophet

on the streets of Nineveh

 

But she didn’t want to go there

and she didn’t want to do that

 

but her voices were persistent

sometimes she could calm them

she could bribe them with an orange

she claimed it came from China

sometimes she seemed peculiar

with an orange on her forehead

some strange attempt to trick them

 

one day she couldn’t calm them

and her voices drove her crazy

and she ran into the water

and she dove beneath the surface

to swim all the way to China

to find a better orange

to stuff it in her earways

then she wouldn’t have to listen

 

but coming through the water

she heard some sailors calling

she swam up to the surface

a ship was right beside her

she climbed up its rope ladder

she was grateful for her rescue

she offered them an orange

she said it came from China

 

and they knew that she was addled

and they saw she was a woman

and they thought this might be trouble

and the sky was black and stormy

and she begged to join their voyage

she would be a sailor

but they drew lots among them

and tossed her in the water

with a curse

 

she said her name was Jonah

Yonah Yoni Yonis Younis

and she called out to her Maker

and she begged her God for rescue

through the blackness was a calming

and beside her was a big fish

she reached out to its jaw bone

and saw its hinges open

then its mouth engulfed her

 

she was grateful for her rescue

then the big fish spoke to Jonah

"You have to go to Nineveh

you have to be a prophet,"

 

but she didn’t want to go there

and she didn’t want to do that

and she knew that she was crazy

and she didn’t have an orange

 

then the fish tongue sharply rocked her

she fell backward down its gullet

the passageway was narrow

muscles locked behind her

as she fell into its stomach

with a thud....

 

 

 

Jonah crouched in darkness

a darkness in a darkness

in yet another darkenss

in a stomach sealed by muscles

within a fish that lets no light in

and swimming in a moonless night

she knew her eyes were useless

 

but she had other senses

it was hot like blood there 

she could hear blood coursing

she knew it was a mammal

and since it was a mammal

then it likely had a reflex

she would find the reflex

that unlocks the muscles

which now block her exit

 

and so she started groping

mid the odor and the acid

while decomposing foodstuff

floated right beside her

but Jonah kept her focus

and Jonah sought her patience

and Jonah found her courage

there inside the belly

 

and she felt the fish’s insides

groping for the reflex

as half digested seaweed

tried to wrap itself around her

 

and she bargained with her Maker

Blessed are You Maker

the One who made this stomach

help me find the reflex

so that I can survive this

together with the big fish

and then I’ll go to Nineveh

and I will be your prophet

on the streets of Nineveh

 

and then her fingers found it

a dimple she discovered

with a whoosh the muscles opened

and snapped her up the gullet

and smack into the pallet

then she fell onto the fish tongue

and there she sat for a moment

 

Jonah thanked her Maker

the God of Compassion

she thanked the big fish

for her rescue and

for all she’d learned there

but now you must release me

for I must to go to Nineveh

and there I’ll be a prophet

and I will tell them of our encounter

 

a wave of water beckoned 

the big fish jaws did open

the wave then carried Jonah 

and deposited her upon soft sand

in the port of Jaffa

 

[sections temporarily missing: Jonah arrives in Nineveh, & A Fast begins in Nineveh]

 

[These are in yellow folder]

 then

***

the cooks from the kitchen

emerged with seven platters

our fast is now concluding

may G-d accept our efforts

sincerely have we fasted

forty days by Jonah’s reckon

for our faults and failings

and now we’ve finished fasting

 

here are seven platters

each has its own recipe

ingredients and flavor

 

each has its own blessing

and... each has a utensil

 

a tool to mete a portion

we’ll be glad to help you

 

what is this utensil

to measure and for hygiene

 

oh these are clever gadgets

made by artisans while they fasted

 

we’ll be glad to help you

take one scoop from each platter

we’ll break the fast with seven

one scoop from each platter

 

I can count to seven

said a cow matter-of-factly

I have an internal abacus

I count upon my stomachs

 

then said the worm ironically

I know my left hand

from my right hand

and I don’t even have hands

 

left is for cleaning

right is for eating

what is so hard about that

said the worm and continued

 

they eat dirty handed

the human beings of Nineveh

they can’t remember left from right

the simple system once used widely 

explained the worm with confidence

that is why they need this tool

to keep their dirty hands

from the common platter

and into the ground she vanished

 

they say that six months later

the worm returned to Jonah

to her tents complaining

of the choices made by others

the bird flock she’d proposed to

had declined her offer

they were going urban

they would in fact follow Jonah

 

the worm said I can’t bear it

how could they so decline me

they could have had fine orchards

with lush figs and apricots

they could have had fine vineyards

why would they decline that

to seek the depths

of urban living

to eat the scraps and leavings

from the tables of human beings

the dirty-handed humans

the birds would like their food

the ignorant sinners of Nineveh

why did not an earthquake just consume us all

no one kept the promises

we made when we fasted

 

the worm said I cannot bear it

I do not even have hands

and yet I know my left hand

from my right. What good does it do me

why does not an earthquake come

and destroy us all in sorry Nineveh

 

then Jonah said, oh Veremi

pull yourself together

you sound too depressed and destructive

 

I may not be the best one

to counsel you now Veremi

but I know for your disappointment

there will come some consolation

 

Veremi calm your spirit

don’t speak of destruction

let it’s turmoil drop away

from you

 

then said the worm to Jonah

Alright I will accommodate you

I’ll say no word of destruction

but will commit its deed to show you

now watch this, said the worm

and dove beneath the earth

in the place where they were sitting

in the pleasant shade of a leafy tree

and soon the tree was wilting

 

then worm emerged triumphant

see my skill destructive

cried the worm to Jonah

who was indeed horrified

and said: That was entirely uncalled for!

Mean and destructive

Worm that was malicious!

How could you have done that?

To such a lovely tree we both enjoyed

 

All you care about is the tree

said the worm

All you care about are the sinners of Nineveh

said the worm

All you care about are the birds you’ve taken from me

said the worm

You don’t care about me, said the worm to Jonah

 

Well no, not at this minute I don’t Verem, said Jonah

at this moment I’m furious with you

you’re acting like a big jerk

and you know the birds are going with me

from their own decision making

they’re free as birds and I’ll just say this Verem

I once did care about you, but look at what you did to that innocent tree

right now I’m alienated from my feelings of caring

you can come back here for our next fast

we will do this annually, our repentence is still needed 

take care of yourself Worm because I really can’t take care of you,

said Jonah, frankly.

　

the worm then said to Jonah,

I am very sorry

very very sorry.

don’t you worry Jonah,

the tree may yet recover

I will return on the anniversary

of our communal fasting

a structure for repentance

you’re right I was destructive

and that was wrong I’m sorry

 

so go now with your bird friends

I don’t want them for partners

what was I ever thinking

 

the beauty of their feathers

that pinnacle of creation

to carry their weight awinging

high above the ground my home

the warmth and iridescence

of a downy bird breast

 

but those birds are ineducable

you know I tried to train them

to bring me for example

a seed from an apricot

from the most luscious orchard

a long long way from here

it was just beyond them, Jonah

 

oh a bird can choose a good seed

and carry it in her strong beak

until the first rest stop

where they put the seed down

to take a drink of water

 

they cannot seem to grasp it

the concept of the same seed

the one which they brought with them

not some other seed that sits there

but the same seed they brought with them

to bring that specific seed back

they just cannot understand that Jonah

not a single one of them

no one from their flock

it goes beyond their bird brains

 

why would I want to partner with them

how could they have helped me

they’ll never be good farmers

I’m better off with out them

the worm concluded her ranting

 

Then Jonah spoke in earnest

I hope the tree recovers

 

you have a lot of issues

said Jonah to the worm

 

please creator guide us

said Jonah as the worm

burrowed into the ground

Author's Note

my plan: using copy & paste to assemble the parts of the poem, to identify & find missing parts..... This is a long story loosely based upon the Book of Jonah. I am disorganized writer now using the structure at Writerscafe to help assemble the scattered pieces of this story.