A fable once was told to me <br />When I was just a lad, <br />It told of God and prophecy <br />As thought of by my Dad... <br />God spoke to all the candidates, <br />If service was their aim, <br />Beyond bold speeches each creates, <br />As if intent on fame... <br /> <br />God bid them write a poem down <br />So that He might decide <br />The one to wear a righteous gown, <br />Yet not swell up with pride... <br />The one who wrote the very best <br />God would anoint in time <br />And raise him up so he was blessed <br />With every precious rhyme... <br /> <br />The candidates began to pray, <br />Then scribbled what they could, <br />God read the words they chose to say <br />And some were very good... <br />Then came a scruffy so-and-so <br />That many poets knew, <br />But hardly one they'd like to know, <br />The way that his hair grew... <br /> <br />God read his poem with delight, <br />God laughed and laughed out loud, <br />God giggled there with all His might, <br />Before that solemn crowd... <br />The scruffy man was smiling still, <br />To think God had such fun, <br />That gave his little heart a thrill, <br />Yet would he be the one? <br /> <br />God looked upon the scruffy man, <br />'A prophet you shall be! <br />Of all of these you know My plan <br />To bless humanity... <br />The others wrote of punishment, <br />But you wrote words of love, <br />Containing humour to present <br />Forgiveness from above...' <br /> <br />And so, the scruffy so-and-so <br />Returned to Earth once more, <br />So that new psalms would overflow <br />Beyond each rule of law... <br />My Dad told me that laughter heals <br />And helps all kinds of folks, <br />More than the prophet who just kneels, <br />But never shares his jokes... <br /> <br /> <br />Denis Martindale, copyright, May 2014.<br /><br />Denis Martindale<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/how-god-chose-a-prophet/
