Jonah

The last frontier is the frontier of forgiveness.
'I will never forgive
As long as I live.'

Under the scorching sun
The prophet sat,
Half-stunned,
Unable to comprehend divine compassion,
For what God would care
For the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air?

For what God would have relented
When Nineveh repented?
'How can I be merciful when they are so cruel?
There is no justice in this wicked world!'

O Lord, Your forgiveness
Is far beyond human selfishness.
On a perishing plant Jonah felt so much pity
He ignored 120,000 innocent children in a great city!

[Published under the name Tom Prato in Poemhunter.com]