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