I Once Knew Jonah

Once Upon a time, a very long time ago
My dad decided to go on a trip
He promised he'd be back, as soon as he could
He promised to write, he promised to call

But the days came and went, and so did the weeks
The weeks became months and the months turned to years
I never did hear from my father again
I never got a letter or a call from the man

Once, I read a story about a man and a fish
How the fish ate the man, swallowed him whole
I told myself as a child, that my dad was the man
Swallowed whole by the fish, with his promises and all

But unlike the story about the man and the fish
My dad never made it safely to land
He must still be out there, somewhere in the ocean
Perhaps he'll come back, or write me or call

I'm a man now myself, have a family and all
I have beautiful children and a wife I adore
I pray that I never have to take a trip like my dad
I'm afraid of the fish that swallowed him, promises and all