A Fast Begins in Nineveh

an excerpt from my long poem loosely based on the Book of Jonah

Jonah went to Nineveh

and there she told her story

her encounters in the water

how sailors tossed her over

and her rescue by a big fish

in whose stomach she was captive

how she called upon her Maker

and agreed to go to Nineveh

and there she'd be a prophet

                                                                                               

they said God bless you Jonah

let peace be upon you

for we sorely need a prophet

to help our self-improvement

the humans and the animals

                                                                                                 

they gathered round to listen

Nineveh believed her story

because of how she told it

because of her appearance

her skin seemed scarred by acid

as from a digestive system

her hair was scant like sea weed

and she seemed a little addled                                                                                  

          

they empathized with Jonah

they offered her an orange

she said she couldn't eat it

she could not eat a morsel

she'd been inside a stomach

she'd seen digestion working

she'd been in fact its victim

how could she eat a morsel                                                                                        

            

So Nineveh fasted with her

for days on end they fasted

for all the daylight hours

they gathered and they fasted

for forty days they fasted

to help Jonah with recovering

and for their own improvement                                                                                   

          

all of Nineveh fasted

including all the creatures

including sheep and cattle

including human beings                                                                                              

           

a bird sat with an earth worm

this was most unusual

they kept each other company

the worm spoke out directly                                                                                     

         

"you ought to be a vegetarian

you and all your bird tribe

we'd be glad to help you

all the worms would help you                                                                                     

           

"we would work together

you would bring the seeds in

we would help you grow them

we're the world's best farmers

there'd be such tasty produce

you wouldn't want to eat worms

just think about it please bird

consider this proposal"                                                                                                

         

a bird chirped a message

someone had to translate

the bird spoke of repentance

she said that she was sorry

for the times she'd chased a critter

without real need or hunger

and not to feed her babies

but for the sport of hunting

she who dodged the pebble

she who feared the arrow                                                                                          

                

oh You who gave us feathers

arranged in fans for flying

may our fast be worthy

for I would peck at refuse

discards from the tables

in the middle of the city

I would bring my flock there

and we would seek out discards

from the urban humans

so as to spare the earth worm

so as to spare the beetle

now that we have listened

and gained some understanding                                                                                            

                                                                                               

oh You who made the egg shell

in wisdom and in kindness

help us with our issues

all of us in Nineveh

notice please our fasting and our prayers.