These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Art Comes Early

A gifted painter, oft when young
finds things to draw and paint
around him in the world, best sung.
Such sweetness makes us faint.

One day, young Randal woke to find
a pearl within a tree
strung on a nearly-clear fishing line,
quite knotted furiously.

Dad's wiresnips tucked into his back pocket
he climbed up gingerly.
A mass of limbs that poked and prodded.
The goal, the pearl to free.

The pearl, secured in front pocket, zipped,
he backed down to the ground.
Examining the treasure, he quipped,
"What a value I have found!

"The subject of my latest painting.
Just one for Fluffy's ear.
Must find a great name for its popular raving,
quite bold, and without fear.

"I'll call it 'A Dog with a Pearl Earring.'
Nobody's done that before,
but Mom raised a finger to caution my thinking,
'More time your title explore.'

"Some guy, it would seem, made a title like that,
but a girl, not a dog, had the smile.
Offense it would give, making painting fall flat,
marring my name for an unruly while."

Tossed the pearl, and gave Fluffy a warm woolen chair
to curl, and contentedly be.
Approving of this, Mom gave a wink over there,
and our dog was asleep, snoozingly.

by Jay O’Toole
on October 4th, 2025