Sense Sonnet - Acher

End in Sight

The black rhino does not see well.
That is why we're so dangerous.
We see something, but cannot tell,
And so we charge to protect us.
We need protection from mankind,
Who unkindly kill us in greed,
Believing our horns are lined
With potions sickly humans need.
The last that many of us see -
The human with intent to slay,
Bringing us down with weaponry,
Then comes hacking the horns away.

In pain, the tears flow from each eye.
We watch and wait until we die.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Distinked

As a skunk, I'm bummed to find out
Some human dude thinks that my scent
Is rose petalled - what's that about?
Not a smell I want to present.
For unwanted confrontation,
Yes, spraying is a last resort.
Some flashing, some thumpings first done,
Scrappy with teeth and claws to thwart.
But it's just knowing I'm butt armed
To shoot noxious up nosy nose,
As my main means from getting harmed.
Now I find out I'm shooting rose!

How would a Valentines Day be
Getting a big bouquet of me?

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Mislabelled

When so called Conservies call shots,
So called Libbies do whine and bash.
Then the reverse, as happens lots.
Meanwhile both just spend our cash,
Through whatever labels tag gov,
Cuz each label knows well the game,
Sometimes below, sometimes above -
Just tag each other with the blame.
The truth - both labels are a mix
Of scammers showing ill intent
To use up trust with politics,
Until all that We have is spent.

"Libbie" or "Conservie" be in,
Will We the People ever win?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Green Broadbill - LP Zoo

A green broadbill bird, I am due
To celebrate St. Patrick's Day,
In my nest at Lincoln Park Zoo,
And do it in the Irish way.
Corned beef and cabbage - hold the beef.
Irish coffee that's coffee free.
Yes, the traditional three leaf,
A shamrock on my tail to see.
No bigger than a leprechaun,
As a wee feathered one, I wish
The best of luck on all upon,
Cuz on this day we're all Irish.

When Irish eyes are smiling wide,
I'll be singing St Pattie's pride.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Malaysian Flight 370


Malaysian flight 370
"All right. Good night." the last words said,
And disappeared, the plane then be.
Hundreds on board all feared be dead.
The mediaocres go wild
Amid a few facts, maybes sprout,
24/7 theories piled
As breaking news - does the world doubt!
The loved ones' suffering  is real.
"News" folks are using this to sell
This tragedy as now big deal,
Competing takes of show and tell.

Whatever words - all was not right.
In act it was "All wrong. Bad night."

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Party Line of Work

The Republican Party in
The U.S. was established to
Ideologue work as a win,
Love of labor - red, white and blue.
Honest Abe was for honest work
As good to advance common folk.
But today's politicians irk.
Honest in D.C. is a joke.
Repubbies work their mouths a lot,
Mostly blaming the Demmies for
All of the problems that we've got,
Less Lincoln like by lying more.

Today, Repubbies in D.C.
Are not a workable party.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Bully Pulpit

"Bully Pulpit" - the term was coined
By the Prez Teddy Roosevelt.
Power and persuasion be joined,
Superb or "bully" Teddy felt,
In using the White House prestige
To strong persuade his point of view,
By presenting noblesse oblige
As any President should do.
Speak "softly" - code word for damn right,
And also carry a big stick,
But on entertainment tonight?
Doing some reach out and touch schtick?

If Teddy R. were Prez today,
"Bully" would not be what he'd say.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Patagonian Cavies - LP Zoo

Patagonian cavies - two,
Mr. and Mrs. couplesome,
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
From Argentina we do come.
A rodent with a rabbit look,
With long legs that run like a deer.
Veggies make up our cookbook.
We eat real good at the Zoo, here.
We have a very special way
To vow our combination.
Over each other, we do spray.
It is love by urination.

Oh what a happy pair we be.
A pair with a capital pee.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Bo and the Youth Healthcare

I saw the Prez on Internet -
Most powerful man on the Earth.
Must be more hope and change, I'll bet.
Gotta get our money's worth.
The Prez was caught "Between Two Ferns,"
Seeking to sell fountains of youth,
Insurance matters of heartburns,
While they are still young in the tooth.
I cringed as I watched the Prez give
A sure no Gettysburg Address.
Through this too I guess he will live
To find more ways to make more mess.

I said, "Bo, why is the Prez there?"
His critics don't Obamacare.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

American Eel

The Sargasso Sea, 'twixt and 'tween
North America and Europe,
Part of Atlantic Ocean scene.
There I was born, the choice came up,
Do I go East or go I West?
I headed West and found a home,
The U.S.A. somewhere I guessed.
Through the big city I did roam.
But came the time Mom Nature called,
Back to the birthplace, part of the deal.
So I packed up and off I hauled,
Proud as an American eel.

Back to roots in Sargasso Sea,
Brooklyn's been a fun place to be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bolivian Gray Titi - LP Zoo

The Bolivian gray titi -
Guess from where and what color guess?
And Spanish for a small monkey,
Humans name, then bother us - yes!
Mom and Dad both care for the young.
Home sweet home is a bunch of trees.
Fruits and leaves are tasty to tongue.
And we can call in pitched degrees.
High pitched short distance to alert.
Low pitched long distance where we be.
In many ways we do assert
We are a tight knit family.

Come see us at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Tails entwined together, we do.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Henry Wirz

During the U.S. Civil War,
Southerner, Henry Wirz, did run
Prison, "Andersonville" of lore,
Where mass atrocities were done.
Wirz was cruel, but records do show
He asked superiors for aid.
But Jefferson Davis said no.
Petitions to the North, Wirz made,
Sending some prisoners to try
Prisoner exchange to instate.
The North said no - winning was why.
The end of war brought Wirz' end fate.

Andersonville horror songs sang,
Scapegoat Henry Wirz did hang.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Piye

I am Piye, a Kushite king,
The first Black Pharoah on the throne.
Doing great temples was my thing.
Of course I did one of my own,
A pyramid at El-Kurru,
In what's now called Northern Sudan.
Tunnels 'neath the pyramid do
Lead to this mummy, once a man,
Now a reminder from the past,
That very few of humankind,
Once dead, do memories long last.
A few like me to future bind.

Inside my temple I will be
For the future to unearth me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Lyrical Lion - LP Zoo

It's been a winter cold and long
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I feel the urge to sing a song,
To sing it out loud, yes I do.
"The Lion in Winter" - good flick
But not a song to sing - too bad.
What is a song that I might sing?
"Cat's in the Cradle"? - nope, too sad.
I will just open up real wide,
And let my notes roar out in sound,
Let heartfelt passion be my guide,
And music from me will abound.

What better than for me to sing
Melody from the "Lion King."

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Cornered Left and Right

Conservies and Libbies do blame
Each other for the mess both make,
Finger pointing - name of the game,
Cloaking the truth in costumed fake.
A school kid should get lunch to eat,
And get it free of politics,
And not all spiced up with deceit,
As the "adults" do like to mix.
Libbies and Conservies - a joke,
Way way beyond being funny.
Both spew out gag lines sure to choke.
From them, a school kid should be free.

Libbies and Conservies - a bunch,
Fry 'em all up for a free lunch.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mama Scorpion

Once our mating is complete,
The mister takes off rather fast.
Guess he did fear he I would eat.
I focus - motherhood now cast.
My young are then born one by one,
Embryonic membrane expelled.
After each hatching had been done,
Upon my back all young are held.
Could be a litter of from two
To a hundred or even more.
They all stay on my back, they do,
Until at least one moult each score.

Ovoviviparous I be,
A mama scorpion is me.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Disposable Veterans

The veterans of wars and such
Who fought for freedom against foes.
The veterans sacrificed much,
Wiping government's bloody nose.
But like Kleenix, once they are used,
Politicians and bureaucrats
Treat veterans sorely abused,
Tossing them away in waste vats.
And veterans rarely complain
About self serving government.
Veterans know all about pain.
Was all that pain worth being spent?

The veterans served Uncle Sam
Who really does not give a damn.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Sisters - LP Zoo

Oh sister, Patty, don't you cry.
My oh so sweet sister be you.
Dad's just grumpy. I don't know why.
This home at the Lincoln Park Zoo
Is Dad's responsibility.
I guess Dad's got a lot of stress,
Taking care of the family.
It's hard being adult, I guess.
The both of us bring joy to Dad,
So let me brush your tears away.
And you shall forget any sad,
As you and I get back to play.

We stick together as we should,
Ever gorilla sisterhood.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Pests Left and Right

Libbies and Conservies do fight
About who's "Big Idea" is best.
But in truth, both the left and right
Think very small, like trash compressed.
Petty partisan politics
Has become the means to no end,
From wasting dirty bags of tricks,
Words and deeds that only offend.
Both sides "Big Ideas" have become
A noose round We the Peoples' neck.
Too left, too right are just too dumb.
We need deBig 'em - what the heck!

Leftie Beavis, rightie Butt Head.
Libbies and Conservies - drop dead!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

The Old Man of the Lake

Crater Lake is clean, deep and blue.
I've called it home since don't know when.
Thirty foot tall tree stump, I do
Be bobbing waters all again.
Boaters keep an eye out for me.
Tourists do want to check me out.
Guess I am a celebrity.
I am kind of unique, no doubt.
Prob'ly a hemlock I am told.
Most of me underwater stays,
Kept preserved by the icy cold.
Above, four feet bleached white I raise.

Floating with currents give and take,
I'm called The Old Man of the Lake.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Axolotl

An axolotl I am named.
I live in Lake Xochimilco.
To the Aztecs I was quite famed
As god Xolotl - doncha know -
Became a salamander to
Elude an ordered sacrifice
By other gods, as gods do do.
And for a while this ruse worked nice.
Then the Aztecs noticed that I
Could bodily regenerate.
So guess what got hunted and why?
Sacrifice to gods was my fate.

The Aztecs prayed to the heal god,
Then served me up and ate my bod.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Putin on Pushy

Some Russians have for long lived there,
Though quite a small minority.
They became deemed by Putin bear
As part of his empire to be.
The region was a leaning West,
Very much a liberal mix.
If Putin could pull off this test,
He'd reign supreme in politics.
So Putin ordered troops into
The region to "protect" his own.
NATO's did whine as NATO's do,
But only whining words were thrown.

Putin pretends he's doing good,
Saving Russians in Hollywood.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Zebra Zeal - LP Zoo

Living at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
This zebra has the chance to play
In winter wonderland I do,
In lots of snow all night and day.
Out in the snow, I play the game
With the keepers of hide and seek.
Half of me and snow look the same.
Half of me sticks out, so to speak.
The white of snow puts thought in me.
Be I white with black stripes upon,
Or black with white stripes do I be?
Whichever way - good life goes on.

The only sad thing about snow,
There are no black stripes - doncha know!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Marry Ago

A "traditional marriage" is
Quickly becoming obsolete.
The nanny state will mind the biz
Of how human union will meet.
Computers will decide okay
If a certain match should be made,
In a lab of who's DNA.
Unneeded will not be okayed.
No more "marriage" controversy.
The State will pick and choose at will.
Gender and sexuality
Depending on quotas to fill.

Too soon, "marriage" will be a crime,
Ashes of once upon a time.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mom-a-Hop - LP Zoo

A red kangaroo Mom am I.
Mother Nature has made me so.
My little joey girl - say hi.
For nine months while she still does grow,
Suckles an elongated teat.
In my pouch another joey,
Younger can also suckle sweet.
Meanwhile could be a number three
In arrested development,
Diapause in my uterus.
I have a pouch full permanent,
Quite an assembly line of us.

Mom duty is never stopping.
Super Momming keeps me hopping.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Colobus Cool - LP Zoo

Black and white colobus monkey
In Lincoln Park Zoo I call home.
In Africa my wild kin be
Eating plants in forests we roam.
Multi chambered tummies digest,
Pooping out loads of seeds that grow
Into the plants that we like best,
The least we can do - doncha know!
Colobus - Greek for thumbless one.
But that's okay cuz we do cling
Effortlessly in fingered fun,
From tree to tree in life's big swing.

I would do thumbs up for the Zoo,
If I did have thumbs - yes, tiz true.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Oceans of Words

A world summit on oceans is
Prob'ly too little and too late.
Humans doing their greedy biz -
The oceans have suffered mass dire fate.
At cocktail parties humans mix
And talk about the oceans' plight.
Wherever humans - politics,
The far left versus the far right.
Meantime, the ocean very near
Further pollutes from the hot air
Of summiteers who have come here
To talk, but most don't really care.

Good intentions do oft break down.
So best intent - make humans drown.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Nazi and Nature

Charles Lindbergh, the flying hero,
Thought Hitler was invincible,
And would take all of Europe, so
The U.S. best should stay neutral.
Many a what if tale's been told,
If the U.S. stayed out of war.
Hitler was so crazy but bold,
He'd have invaded U.S. shore.
Lindbergh's last days were spent to save
Endangered species from man's sport.
And no apology he gave
For giving Hitler such support.

It is one of those what if tales -
Would Hitler's win have saved the whales?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mocha Dick

Once a great albino sperm whale
Swam the ocean off Mocha Isle.
From round the world whalers set sail
For such a prize that did beguile.
But the great white put ships to shame
With a cunning ferocity.
He beat all whalers, game by game.
One day he chose last destiny.
A lady whale was in distress,
So the great white remained, instead
Giving whalers baited access.
The whale called Mocha Dick was dead.

When he heard Mocha Dick expired,
Herman Melville became inspired.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Noisy Neighbors - LP Zoo

I am Minnie, the fennec fox,
And found at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
My habitat has sand and rocks.
I have my fav'rite rock - I do,
Where I like to curl up and nap.
By myself, I have the whole place.
Me to myself, I like to yap.
Tiz nice not having to share space.
But he and she tortoises are
In the habitat right next door.
Can't see, but hear their sounds bizarre,
Of all day, all night sex galore.

I know at times that I can be
A fox that's very fennecky.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

G.O.P. - Grab On Power

House of Representatives for
The U.S. is now controlled by
Politicians who want no more
Than stay in power, so they lie
About the good stuff they would do
If only Obama were gone,
Good stuff that they had promised too,
Before Obama's terms came on.
We the People - the common folk
Are merely pawns moved in the game.
Politicians deem us a joke,
Falling for lies that are the same.

Talk is cheap for powers that be,
That includes the House G.O.P.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sing to Sleep - LP Zoo

Mom's gonna sing a lullaby,
Sweet and soft to my baby boy,
And hope it lulls my little guy
To sleep, which I would sure enjoy.
You know I love you a whole bunch,
But you do rub my body raw,
All day, all night diner for lunch,
At Mom's taps you sure slurp and gnaw.
And when not nursing, oh you do
Jump, climb and bounce all over me.
I know that this is good for you,
But I tire out being a tree.

Hush little gibbon. Go to sleep,
Mom needs quiet time a big heap.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Snow Day - LP Zoo

At last a winter day to be
Outside at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Up enough went the temp degree,
My keepers said, "A treat for you."
African rhinos and too cold
Can't be together for too long.
I am still less than a year old,
Putting on pounds to make me strong.
Out I go - what's all that white stuff?
Some of the most fun that I've faced,
Chilly, playable in a fluff,
I try to eat it but no taste.

Rhinos or humans - doncha know -
Can't keep a kid out of the snow.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Winding Up War

The U.S., in reality,
Is not exceptional for good,
And is just one among many,
Wreaking havoc as warring would.
The corrupt combine war machine
Of military and big biz
Seeks power and money obscene.
A worldwide bully, U.S. is.
The war hawks screech, "Spend more, spend more."
Offense called defense is the game.
There will be peace only by war -
Humans do buy that - what a shame!

We the People should not forget,
Bad war never made good peace yet.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Planned Parenthood - LP Zoo

Mom and Dad mongooses do
Need to get scientist okay
To bring to the Lincoln Park Zoo
New pups in the old fashioned way.
The scientists carefully planned,
And a November litter came.
Only scientists understand -
Next February - wow - the same!
Mom and Dad were a bit surprised,
Such a quickie succession the case,
But nature was not analysed,
Cuz all was in the database.

We newest arrivals are glad
For recomputing Mom and Dad.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Asian Fairy Bluebird -  LP Zoo

I'm an Asian fairy bluebird.
See me at the Lincoln Park Zoo
A long name does include the word,
"Fairy" for enchantment I do.
The Missus - more a dull blue green,
And if not sure, then listen for
A bird  call of "glue it" heard 'tween.
Listen again for an encore.
We have crimson eyes for each one,
For moss to nest and figs to eat.
While Missus gets egg laying done,
I try to be a beak of sweet.

A fairy bluebird - yes I be.
You will be enchanted by me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Thanks to Mom

Mom birthed the cutest baby girl,
Who in her crib would dance divine,
With a head full of golden curl.
Mom took this as a destined sign,
And into dance school did enroll
The three year old, who caught the eye
Of Hollywooders with control.
Golden girl did electrify.
Mom's perserverence did assure
Her little girl successful, true,
Oversaw costume and coiffure.
Curl count had to be 52.

Shirley Temple found filmdom fame,
Thanks to Mom - Gertrude was her name.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Crowned Lemur Likes LP Zoo

A crowned lemur - that's what I am,
An orangish fur crown on my head.
For visitors, I like to ham
At the Lincoln Park Zoo homestead.
Madagascar Island is where
We primates did evolve unique.
But when human kin showed up there,
They've been a real pain, so to speak.
But at the Zoo, humans are great
To me  and to my family.
All lemurs should have such a fate,
To know how good humans can be.

So this crowned lemur tips his crown
To humans in Chicago town.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

The Cheating Game

The World Series, 1919,
The Chicago White Sox did lose.
Turned out the loss was not so clean,
World Series scandal turned world news.
Eight Sox players got paid to throw
The Series. Joe Jackson was one.
Kids cried out, "Say it ain't so, Joe."
Joe later said he 'fessed in fun.
Court acquitted the players got,
And baseball owners got bad press,
Banned from baseball, the whole eight lot,
As though that would clean up the mess.

Baseball will always be the same.
Cheating is just part of the game.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Bo and the Constitution

The Oval Office - I stopped by.
The Prez was holding paper stuff.
"Bo, meet the Constitution - guy -"
"Just can't be talked about enough."
"I know when I first did my run,"
"I waved Big C around a lot,"
"'Bout how George W. was un."
"But un is better than I thought."
"With just a stroke of pen I be"
"For politics to rearrange,"
"Thwart any pesky Repubbie,"
"In the way of my 'hope and change',"

"Here you go, Bo - be a good pup,"
"The Constitution - eat it up."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Hippo Hype

Hippothermia - I can't talk.
"Hippochondriac," Doc calls me.
"Hippodermic needle," said Doc,
"Hippothetical cure could be."
Hippopotamuscles - mine - flinch.
"Hippocratic oath, Doc!" I yell.
Hippopotamustash I clinch,
Hippocritical, I can tell.
Hippopotamustard jar, where
Hippopot - I have hid my stash.
Hipponotism, Doc does dare.
Hippotensive - Doc's nose I smash.

Hippohappy - no Doc is not,
Hippopotacussing a lot.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Torn Ear

Torn Ear, an elephant who lost
A lot of ear in life's sojourns,
Torn here and there, as Torn Ear crossed
Kenya, making treks and returns,
Beating the odds for years and years
Of victimized by greedy man.
Hundred pound tusks beneath his ears,
Being great as elephants can.
But that fateful day came to be
When Torn Ear's path did cross upon
The too oft human tendency
To murder, and Torn Ear was gone.

Poisoned arrows were shot one day,
And Torn Ear's life got torn away.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimps of Hearts

Valentine's Day comes once a year,
But home at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Chimpanzees have our hearts here
Monitored for health - yes we do.
Each chimp does have an EKG
Implant, keepers can record
At any time how each heart be.
And all this data is then stored,
Cuz chimps just like all great apes do
Be vulnerable to heart break
From disease just like humans too.
So heart felt thanks for good health sake.

It's from my heart this chimp does say,
"Humans - Happy Valentine's Day."