The Song of Namaan

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN PRAISE ELISHA'S GOD IN HEAVEN! "Go dip in the Jordon", he said; The prophet who must surely be mislead, But after travelling to Israel, I will test this cure though it fail. ONE I dipped myself in that dirty trickle Laughing to think God's favour so fickle, As to above the rivers of Assyria choose This little wilderness ooze. TWO I went in for my second dip, with a curl of scorn upon my lip: "Told you this Jordon trick was no good," Teach me to believe an Israelite this would! THREE As for the third time I dived under, I had a tiny hope it would work a wonder; If this was going to bring me some ease, I should have seen lessening of the disease. FOUR As up from my fourth dip I came, Looking, feeling and smelling the same: I threw myself down upon the bank, For my heart was turning rank. FIVE Five washes and I began to ponder Elisha's word. Why set the Captain of Assyria a mime so absurd? Didn't he know I could drag him off with jailers, Sentenced for impudence and sorcery failures? SIX If I could feel the cold I would shiver, Six times I have dipped myself in this river, Across my form the illness still loomed, To be a leper, it seemed I was doomed. SEVEN I am cold and my head is all aspin, Now the water tingles against my skin; If I didn't know any better, I would say I was no longer a leper! ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN PRAISE ELISHA'S GOD IN HEAVEN! I was an ignorant fool, To despise this little pool; Now in loud song, I acknowledge I was wrong! ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN PRAISE ELISHA'S GOD IN HEAVEN Cecelia Hopkins