The morning is wiser than the evening
Provocative Variations on Kipling: As If
Last month our friend Brian Christopher mooted an artistic collaboration. The Shut Up & Draw! challenge asked artists to make one Post-It note piece of art a day for five days. The theme was the five senses, and I wanted to participate, so I wrote some limericks.
Each day, a dozen or so highly talented artists, from San Luis Obispo and beyond, rose to the occasion with remarkable skill. Though their creativity was limited to the 3 x 3 inch square of a Post-It note, and 15 frantic minutes, the display of artistic ability was captivating.
From the beginning, I had a good feeling about the project. My wife and 7-year-old son immediately got on board with the idea. And my wife, always looking for opportunities to collaborate, decided to make her micro-paintings as companion pieces to my pithy limericks.
Here’s what I came up with.
Sight
Open your eyes to admire the art
Each of us here will contribute their part
But a clever disguise
Can play tricks on your eyes
If you really seek beauty then open your heart
Hearing
There once was a boy who could listen
He could hear a sliced cantaloupe glisten
And closing his eyes
He can hear the sun rise
By the chirping he knows that it’s risen
Scent
There’s an interesting power connected to smell
And just how it functions I really can’t tell
But some odors last
And revisit the past
‘Cuz noses can do that like ringing a bell
Taste
Some limericks are simply a waste
Like the ones about panties unlaced
Although I’m no prude
I hate to be rude
So I’ll never use words in poor taste
The Culmination of the Senses
There’s no need to stare like I’ve got the disease
And don’t hold your nose like I stink of old cheese
We all need affection
And you’re my selection
So touch me again with your lips if you please
Limericks in collaboration
All in all, we had a great time with this little challenge. In fact, we’re already looking forward to the next one. Hoping, that is, that there will be a next one. I spend a lot of time writing limericks in my own little bubble, so it’s nice to get a chance to interact and collaborate. And it’s especially satisfying to see my words brought to life with the agile imagery of wife’s illustration.
Pursuant to that goal, my wife and I are currently working on a more extensive series of illustrated limericks and poetry, which we look forward to making available through the website here. At the same time, I’m compiling some greater collections of limericks and she’s adding some additional design elements in order to make these printed anthologies available through Amazon. Stay tuned for details!
Further Reading
If you enjoyed these limericks about the five senses, please let me know in the comments section. And consider sharing the post or subscribing to the blog. You might also want to check out some of these popular articles:
- Limericks about the Unknowable
- Poetry about Anatomy and Physiology
- Limerick writing tips and tricks
- Serious Limericks: There once was an unsmiling rhymer
