The Curse on Ham*

When we last saw Noah,

He was about to embark

On a long, stormy journey

Aboard his mighty ark.

For forty days and nights

The heavens constantly drained

Their waters upon the earth,

For it rained and rained and rained--

Covering the towering Mt. Everest,

And the great Kilimanjaro.

Noah exclaimed, "It's raining

Like there's no tomorrow!"

Ham and Shem said, "Dad,

With our small, measly crew,

Feeding one million species

Is kind of hard to do."

Noah pointed outside

And looked at his sons and said,

"I suppose instead of in HERE,

You'd rather be out there--dead!"

That shut up the boys

Who attended to their tasks,

Saying, "We're feeding the lions

In case anyone asks."

Shem whispered to Ham,

"I like that lion, but she

Is always licking her chops

Whenever SHE sees ME!"

Ham said, "That kangaroo,

Who looks so calm and mellow,

Has a nasty kick.

He's not a very nice fellow."

After many days,

The waters receded; then Yay!

They were back on dry land;

All could go their own way.

The Bengal tigers went east;

The penguins headed south;

The skunks and beavers went west--

According to word of mouth.

Noah grabbed an animal

For a sacrifice quick and succinct,

And turned to his sons saying, "Oops!

I JUST made one species extinct."

Ham, Shem, and Japheth,

Had little time for mirth,

For now it was up to them

To repopulate the earth.

Growing grapes for wine

To Noah was time well spent,

Until he got drunk and naked--

All sprawled out in his tent.

Walking in on his father,

Ham saw a sight not so splendid

And ended up with a bum deal--

(Silly pun intended)--

For Noah cursed poor Ham

For having walked in on him.

So what if a guy saw him naked;

Hadn't he been to a gym?

Actually, the curse

Was more on Canaan, Ham's son.

How had poor Canaan managed

To be the guilty one?

I guess that's the nature of curses:

They don't always make much sense.

There also wasn't a lawyer

To come to Canaan's defense.

To live to be 950

Requires a very strong ticker.

But Noah had a weakness:

Trouble holding his liquor.

(9-24-15) By Bob B

*Sequel to "Noah's Dilemma" (7-24-14)