If you’re a cartoonist or illustrator, you probably find it easier to start with an idea, gag, or storyline and then create your cartoon or illustration around that idea. To provide the inspiration for some of my past illustrations, I’ve turned to writing limericks. Unfortunately, I feel rather clumsy where it comes to nailing down the rhyming meter of a limerick. Furthermore, there’s something about the rigid structure that doesn’t quite go with the freedom of my illustrations. So I’ve decided to throw out the rulebook (more or less) to try my hand at writing light verse. I suppose you can say that I’m creating art well versed, though certainly not rehearsed!

Art Well Versed

I captured my “Opus 1” for y’all to see on my channel at Youtube:

My Opus 2…

Is an ode to the newest addition to our family – our Toybob cat Ollie.

Art well versed - Light verse and illustration by Joana Miranda

A Fine Feline

I named my cat Ollie

‘Cause Oliver’s less jolly.

He’s ebony black

And sharp as a tack

By golly, he comes when I collie!

By the way…

We’ve had Ollie just two weeks, but it feels like he’s been with us a lifetime. From the moment we got him, he was at home with us and his new “house.” Fortunately, his big brother, Ziggy, also adores him!

Photo of Ollie, our Toybob kitten at 4 1/2 months of age.

P.S.

“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats.”

Eckhart Tolle

Comments

  1. Helen Reich says:

    If your characters’ noses are runny for any substantial amount of time, better send them for a covid test! Glad Ollie is doing so well with his new fam!

    • Joana says:

      Hi Helen,

      Good point! You’ll be happy to know that ALL of my characters not only have had negative Covid tests, but they were the very first to run out and get vaccinated (even before there were vaccines. Hee-hee!)

      xox – Joana

  2. Mm says:

    I’m going to meet my babies soon! Yay!!! “When I collie”???🤣😺😻

    • Joana says:

      Ollie will come running when you “collie,” too. 🙂 But Ziggy will likely hide. (Hopefully, you’ll still get to see him.) And we can’t wait to see you!
      xox – J

  3. Jen says:

    This may be the he first time in human history that “protrusive” was rhymed with “juice of”. 🤣🤣🤣

    • Joana says:

      Hi Jen,

      I know, it’s a stretch, but I thought it was sort of fun. Andy was a little wide-eyed that I wrote a poem about bodily fluids. I guess the creative juices had to start somewhere…;-) xox – Joana

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