A pithy comic strip about life, love, lust and puthy cats.

Est. 1985

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Food for Thought

By Jimmy Johnson

September 4, 2000


I’ve written some pretty dreadful limericks over the years, but this one is okay, I believe. According to Wikipedia, a pure limerick is defined by its AABBA rhyming scheme and by a bawdy nature. I must say I can’t remember producing an off-color limerick; remember, Arlo & Janis is a newspaper comic, after all. However, that’s why I have you people! I can rely on you to give almost anything a bawdy spin.


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66 responses to “Food for Thought”

  1. Norm S Avatar
    Norm S

    Jimmy,
    It’s Tax day! (excuse the extension) my state extended the filing date but NOT for paying estimated payments.

  2. Rob Fargher Avatar
    Rob Fargher

    The limerick packs laughs anatomical,
    Into a space really quit economical.
    But the good ones I’ve seen,
    So seldom are clean.
    And the clean ones are seldom comical.

    1. Sideburns Avatar

      The limerick form is complex,
      Its topics run chiefly to sex.
      It burgeons with virgins,
      And masculine urgens,
      And sundry erotic effects.

  3. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    “However, that’s why I have you people! I can rely on you to give almost anything a bawdy spin.”
    I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson, but you must have us confused with some other group of people. 😀

  4. Burns Avatar
    Burns

    Just to be annoying, there are 9 syllables in the first and third “A” section, but 10 in the second. 🙂

  5. Ed Rush Avatar
    Ed Rush

    Limericks don’t have to be bawdy. Take a look at OEDILF.com — The Omnificent English Dictionary In Limerick Form.

  6. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    “Who me?”- Alfred E. Newman

  7. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
    Blinky the Wonder Wombat

    Isaac Asimov, was a brilliant essayist ad science fiction God, was most proud of his bawdy limericks. He published at least five volumes of them.

  8. TruckerRon Avatar

    No, me- Jackie Monies

  9. TruckerRon Avatar

    Is anyone else still experiencing name switching here?

    It happens on my phone and both tablets now.. Random no patterns.

    (This is reallyJackie)

  10. Mark in TTown Avatar
    Mark in TTown

    Bet this will ring a bell with Jimmy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MED3EFeFJ5U

  11. Steve Parkes Avatar

    See if you can work this one out:–

    There was a young curate of Salisbury
    Whose antics were quite halisbury-scalisbury:
    He’d walk around Hampshire
    Without any pampshire
    Till his Bishop said he must walisbury.

    (If you have trouble, ask an English person.)

    1. Steve Parkes Avatar

      And one of my own, beautifully illustrated:–
      http://gsidlethoughts.blogspot.com/

    2. Steve Parkes Avatar

      And one of my own, artfully illustrated:–
      http://gsidlethoughts.blogspot.com/

  12. Kerry Avatar
    Kerry

    If I hit post comment and I don’t see my post show up, I just wait. It eventually appears.

    1. Steve Parkes Avatar

      At my age (same as Jimmy’s) I ought to have more patience, Kerry!

  13. Jackie Monies Avatar
    Jackie Monies

    Jimmy, thank you for todays Small Touches. I totally concur.

    Love, Jackie Monies

    1. Blinky the Wonder Wombat Avatar
      Blinky the Wonder Wombat

      JAckie, I wholeheartedly agree. An instant classic A&J.

  14. Kerry Avatar
    Kerry

    Steve Parks, thanks for the linnericks!

    Jackie (who instantly changed to Kerry?)

    1. Kerry Avatar
      Kerry

      It looks good on you. -Kerry

    2. Steve Parkes Avatar

      You’re welcome, Kerry (and/or Jackie). I’m afraid there’s a lot more nonsense where those came from 🙂

  15.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    JJ- It seems the more risque the strip – the more positive the comments

  16. Kerry Avatar
    Kerry

    I erased Kerry but here I am back as Kerry! I will erease again, I do!

    Read the linmerick jokes and poems about 4.30 a.m. and went back to sleep. GUESS what I was doing in my sleep? Writing limmericks!

    All I remember started ^There was an old lady in Eufaula”. I have no idea what rhymed, it is prounounced U-Fa-La like in Christmas song chorus Fa-La-La.

    Jackie Monies

    1. curmudgeonly ex-professor Avatar
      curmudgeonly ex-professor

      The lady from Eufala may have been named Paula. As the years passed, instead of growing, she got smaula!
      .

      I leave the exact words & meter to you.

  17. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Ref the 4-16-21 real-time cartoon: Yeah well, I do that all the time, and all I get is my hand slapped. What’s wrong with all those women I run into on the street, anyway? 😀

  18. Judy in Conroe Avatar
    Judy in Conroe

    I think today’s cartoon about Small Touches should be made into a poster and posted in the offices of Marriage Counselors. Hey Jimmy – another revenue stream!

    1. Mark in TTown Avatar
      Mark in TTown

      The next time he does t-shirts, that should be on one!

  19. Bob in Orland Park Avatar
    Bob in Orland Park

    Today’s strip touched home. That’s how my late wife and I made a high school sweethearts marriage last 5 kids and 58 years.

  20. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    Ref the 4-17-21 real-time cartoon: There’s an app for that!?!? What is it…”iWetNakedAndThirsty”?

  21. Ghost Avatar
    Ghost

    By the way, the name of my next rock band will be Wet Naked & Thirsty.