Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wetproof Beaver

A beaver likes water a lot,
And is covered in hairy fur.
Humans notice that beavers got
Not much of a wet look for sure.
The secret to a quick dry out
Is not a towel or blow dryer.
Two layered fur - it's all about.
The outer layer does inspire
A water repellent effect,
Thanks to oil a gland does secrete.
The inner layer does connect,
So water and skin do not meet.

Waterproofed - humans wonder why.
Leave it to beaver to keep dry.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Turtle Tip

A human deemed to be expert
On turtles was asked to opine
If part of an aggressive flirt,
A flip flop might be the incline
Of male to prove to the female,
By flipping her onto her back,
That she was the top of his scale,
And deserved his wooing fast track.
Then he'd reflip and aright her
As proof of his caring intent.
The human expert was not sure.
Another expert did present.

The expert turtle did reply,
"Human behavior - who knows why!"

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Jingle Bells Date

"Jingle Bells" - well known Xmas song
Was really about the sleigh ride
Of a young couple well along
In spirit - drink and woo, to glide
The ways of 1850's date,
Unchaperoned to  cuddle close,
To move in young love and lust fate.
What better way to so engross!
And as the couple coupled so,
Unaware of the world around,
As the sleigh through the date did go,
"Here we come," was the jingle sound.

So let bells jingle all the way,
A cheap date - one horse open sleigh.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Snow on Demand

A white Christmas, I'm dreaming of,
But the weather powers that be
Say there's no snow from up above,
So I am going with Plan B.
I go online to the snow place
For an order to my address.
I give details about my case.
Is my snow a go? I say yes!
On Christmas Eve during the night,
The outside of my residence
Will be chilled to let flakey white
Fall, so Christmas morn - snow presents.

How to make a controlled snow zone -
'Twill all be done, thanks to a drone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bear Up - LP Zoo

I am American black bear,
Home here at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
A forested area's where
You will see me, I will see you.
Like humans I am omnivore.
Both plants and animals I eat.
One substance I do love galore -
Honey - ah, such a divine treat!
Teddy, Winnie the Pooh, Smokey
Were human inspired by my kind.
Quite a bond with humans there be.
I'm glad to help such ties that bind.

Since life at the Zoo is so great,
I do choose not to hibernate.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Silent Night Hooves

This year the Santa sleigh will be
Powered by solar and the wind.
It's time to be ecofriendly,
Message Santa's P.R. did send.
But if the truth really be known,
Santa has been a Scrooge in pay.
North pole is a poverty zone.
Minimum wage has been the way.
And so workers have organized,
Demanding better benefits.
But Santa has not sympathized,
Negotiations on the splits.

How to explain it to a tyke -
Santa's reindeer have gone on strike!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Made to Scratch - LP Zoo

I am Beyookee, puma girl,
Home here at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I take a nap with tail a curl,
Awake - what did the keepers do?
They stuck into my habitat
A pinata made just for me.
I prowl over to where it's at.
It's 'bout cat curiosity.
I check the artwork in and out.
I could destroy it in a jiff.
Keepers have good intent, no doubt.
I show my thanks in lingered sniff.

The Zoo has live deer I can smell.
But paper deer I get - oh well!

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Walters Falters

Barbara Walters still gives life
To our celebrity fix.
The latest is George Clooney's wife.
She is one of Barbara's picks
As the most fascinating one
Alive in all the world, and why?
Becuz the wedding did get done
With George - such a sought after guy.
Top of the list the wife went to -
Will Barbara cross off in course,
When the couple decouple  do
Another Hollywood divorce?

Fascinating about Ba Wa -
How long she goes on with blah blah.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Bo and the Sports in Chief

I hear the Prez yell, "Bo come here."
"Let's get into ESPN."
This First Dog duty that is clear -
Indulge the Prez on all sports spin,
Especially Chicago teams.
How 'bout them Bulls, too bad them Bears.
Like any fan the Prez has dreams
That interrupt his daily cares.
All those briefings on that or this -
Some sports to brighten up the mood
In the political abyss.
The Prez yearns some jock interlude.

I leave the Prez to his sports fun.
Bo has got a country to run.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tiger Chow - LP Zoo

A tiger living in the wild
Has got to work a lot to eat.
No supermarkets nicely aisled
To look for special sales on meat.
But here at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
The keepers keep the meat until
I am safely out of their view,
Then hurry in a healthy fill,
And serve it up on hanging stuff,
So that when I do come on back,
Mealtime is anything but tough.
Paws grip, teeth grind and lips do smack.

The Zoo does wonders just to please,
Cuz there is meat growing on trees!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

While They Last

Used enhancement device for sale.
The platform top made of fine oak,
Original finish detail,
Slight damage from some water soak.
Strong metal fittings to hold tight
As needed to accommodate
Added body, heavy or light.
Adjust the incline to the weight.
No guarantee, but may inspect.
Sold in bulk or sold singly each.
Use may cause a harmful effect,
So please keep out of childrens' reach.

Pre assembled, easily stored,
Sale on his and her waterboard.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Plastic - Vanishing Act

Humans endeavor to compute
Amount of plastics ocean bound.
Missing is lots of this pollute,
Studies so far seem to have found.
Plastic breaks down and moves about,
When tossed to nature to deal with.
Just gone for good? Cuz there's no doubt,
Humans do love to love a myth.
Inquiring minds are at a loss,
The less and less plastics to find,
The more and more plastics to toss.
If out of sight, then out of mind!

Tiz mystery phenomenon,
Oh where have all the plastics gone?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Taza - LP Zoo

I'm Taza, snow leopard. I be
Just moved to the Lincoln Park Zoo.
So you should come and visit me.
This welcome cat is here for you.
The Himalayas, we call home.
Endangered, we are hard to find.
I'm just glad that I get to roam
As ambassador for my kind.
I can leap up to fifty feet,
And land on feet, snow friendly such,
I'm a motion marvel complete,
With long warm tail a useful touch.

Yes, my kind of town, Chicago.
My home - let it snow, let it snow.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Malala the Winner

Malala wins the Nobel Prize
For peace, the youngest to so win.
A teenage girl whose fight gives rise
To hope that new peace can begin
In a world torn by war of old,
That's plagued the all of humankind.
Courage needed to be so bold,
Comes from the body, soul and mind
Of a child born in fear and hate,
That tried but could not silence her.
She took control of her own fate,
And shared her hope for change for sure.

If peace begins and war does end,
Upon the children will depend.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Featherology

An animal - is it a bird?
First - inquiring minds need to know -
Feathers being the main key word.
All birds have got 'em - yes tiz so.
Well now inquiring minds have found
Dinosaur fossils - more than one,
Buried way down deep in the ground.
What had those dinos gone and done?
They had grown feathers from their scales,
Most likely for a temp reg thing
For the moms. Show off for the males.
Multi tasked done dinosauring.

Birds of a feather - how evolved?
From feathered dinos - glad that's solved!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Leaf Cutter Ant - LP Zoo

A leaf cutter ant I am known,
Cuz I cut leaves for my good queen,
And all her colony that's grown,
Thanks to the chomping of the green.
I've got a jaw that slices through
A leaf a thousand whacks per sec.
Then twenty times my weight I do
Leaf haul back to the nest, oh heck!
The leaves are not for us to eat,
But to compost a fungus crop.
If toxic leaves, then what is neat,
The fungus signals us to stop.

Come visit the Lincoln Park Zoo,
And I will wave a leaf at you.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Bad Neighbor Duck

I am a beaver with a tale
About a neighbor duck that quacks
Just to annoy me, without fail,
With a volume turned up to max.
After I went and made the dam,
That made the pond that holds my lodge,
Being the good neighbor I am,
I let this duck with entourage
Share the pond neighborhood with me.
But this one duck did quack so much,
The other ducks left sneakily,
With only me, the quacks to touch.

Loud quacking while I nap, oh well!
"Shut the duck up," I wanna yell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Gift - LP Zoo

In the beginning, nature did
Create the perfect life form plan
Of animal and plant amid
Rich Earth elements. Then came man,
And turned the riches from the pure
Into the concept of money.
All life forms have had to endure
The consequences that there be
That there is nothing free in life.
Humans count all in moneys' worth.
Escape a while from manmade strife.
Find some good will and peace on Earth.

Tiz the season of giving, do
Please give to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Corroboree Frog

The corroboree frog, I be
A hopping the land down under.
Black with yellow splotches on me.
As hubby, I am a wonder.
I know that I need build a nest,
Using my hind limbs to sculpt moss,
Make proposals that I sing best.
Ladies to my threshold do cross,
All laying eggs I fertilize.
The gals take off but I do stay,
And wait for the waters to rise,
Till hatching tadpoles come my way.

Ah, the memories that I've had,
Living as a stay at home dad.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Feinstein Folly

Diane Feinstein, a woman scorned,
Hell hath no fury, bible sez.
Released a report all adorned
With torture tech okayed by Prez,
That C.I.A. had done to try
To get the baddies to spill stuff,
To catch that mean bin Laden guy.
But then Feinstein had had enough,
When she learned that the C.I.A.
Was doing some spying on her.
Oh, she was gonna make 'em pay.
A woman scorned, for sure, for sure.

Told on C.I.A. by golly,
'Twill be known as Feinstein Folly.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Resurrection Mary

Driving on Archer Avenue,
Heading to downtown Chicago,
A hitchhiking girl - what to do.
I stopped for her. She got in, so
She wore white dress and dancing shoes,
Pretty with blond hair and blue eyes.
But a sadness from her did ooze.
Asked me to stop, to my surprise,
Where only a dark stretch appeared,
And no houses or buildings be.
I stopped and turned, she'd disappeared -
Resurrection Cemetery.

I learned that Mary oft does roam,
Asking drivers for a ride home.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

African Wild Dogs - LP Zoo

An African wild dog am I.
With my sisters, we're a 3 pack,
Home under the Chicago sky,
Hunting, but nothing to attack.
That's okay, cuz we get fed good
Here home at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
We're happy with the neighborhood,
Lots of human watching to do.
We've got fur coats for winter chill,
In harvest colors painted so,
Looking at each of us, you will
Pick out who is who - doncha know!

Tiz the season of the Zoo Lights,
So come see us for 3 dog nights.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

This is Torture

The U.S. should not torture folk,
The D.C. powers that be spout.
The U.S. tortures lots - no joke.
There's pain and agony, no doubt,
That all the We the People feel
Inflicted upon by D.C.
Just the hot air is torture real.
But add to that dumb stuff done be
Mental and physical abuse,
Is all that We the People get,
Just pawns for D.C. power use.
We've not been tortured enough - yet!

We the People take torture, cuz
We're gluttons for what D.C. does.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Venom Champ

I am the inland taipan snake,
The most venomous snake on Earth.
Australian desert home I make.
Few humans have got my bite's worth.
Dandarabella was my name,
So called by Aboriginee.
Then outside humans made the claim
That at last they discovered me.
Drop for drop, my venom can kill
One hundred humans in one bite.
Now that is not to say I will,
Unless the humans wanna fight.

Some humans like to call me fierce,
Not cuz of mood, but fang juice pierce.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Fact No Check

Rolling Stone Magazine did do
A story about a gang rape
At a frat house, but was it true?
Does "oopsie' let a rag escape
From liability from harm
To guys that may be innocent -
The whole thing just a false alarm?
Rolling a stone to turn truth bent,
So as to tell a preferred tale
Should force a "news" source to roll out
A going out of bizness sale.
Be free of such bad press, no doubt!

Accused fraternity should own
Irresponsible Rolling Stone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Theory of Stripeativity

As a zebra, I get a lot
Of studies done on my stripes by
Humans who I just guess have not
Got much to do but ask more why.
A bunch of these studies have found
That biting flies fly all about
Where we zebras do most abound,
And like to bite zebras, no doubt.
Dark/light stripe patterns seem to make
Flies dizzy, so zebras evolved
Such stripes for that repellent sake.
It works quite well, so problem solved.

If the human studies are right,
Will humans be striped black and white?

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Big Squeeze

I was just minding my own biz,
When this dude starts hitting on me.
Dressed in a funny suit, he tiz,
And awful close up he gets to be.
I am a big girl, so I play
The role of never hard to get.
I curl in my sexiest way,
To eat the dude alive. He bet
His buddies that he could become
An instant star with news he'd make.
But he chickened out - this yum yum,
Scared of this anaconda snake.

Hey dude - what's with the panic deal?
Wanna do a show - be a meal!

Sense Sonnet - Acher

The van Gogh Brothers

The van Gogh brothers were quite close
In childhood were seldom apart.
Vincent was often quite morose,
But very talented in art.
Theo was Vincent's go to guy,
And as they grew into adults,
Letters between the two would try
To brighten Vincent's dark impulse.
The more his art took on great life,
More despair Vincent was consumed,
Caught 'twixt and 'tween beauty and strife.
Vincent died from a gunshot wound.

Vincent van Gogh for death did plead.
'Twas Theo who did do the deed?

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Freedom of Some Speech

On U.S. Constitution Day,
Penn State said no to passing out
Constitutions in peaceful way,
Cuz Penn State had its rules, no doubt.
Fast forward a few months from then,
Students protesting the police.
The Penn State prez did get the yen
To join the protest done in peace,
Citing the freedom of speech right
The Constitution does provide.
It would appear Penn State rules might
Be bent to suit a favored side.

Constitution is not speech free!
Penn State does state what free speech be!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Gadhimai

The Hindu goddess, Gadhimai,
Gets an animal sacrifice.
Humans were her first choice, so why
Should just farm animals suffice?
Ev'ry five years for good luck for
A time and place where good luck's not,
Humans kill animals galore,
No improving the human lot.
Since humans kill humans for less,
Why not do what the goddess bid?
A five year bloody human mess,
All the dead's bad luck would be rid.

The goddess wants a human kill,
So c'mon humans let'em spill.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bug to the Future

Urban centers are labs to try
Better ways to deal with packed life.
Bugs can become a solver - why?
Becuz bugs could ease human strife.
Bugged by bugs as humans oft be,
Prefer a bugless neighborhood.
With increasing humanity,
More bug neighbors could be for good.
Bugs can eat loads of human waste.
Bug poop can fertilize the earth.
Bugs can be prepped to human taste.
Tiz a cycle with useful worth.

And when live humans become dead.
Bury? Burn? Let bugs eat instead.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimp Cornucopia - LP Zoo

Cornucopias filled with stuff,
That chimps do like to grab and eat.
There are horns of plenty enough,
Cuz Lincoln Park Zoo loves to treat
Us chimps so good all of the time.
A Thanksgiving for all we do
Here in Chicago where we climb
To make it special just for you.
Each horn of plenty's plenty much
Emptied  of all the goodies in,
And somewhat smacked by our touch,
And mouths be full of stuff and grin.

Empty cornucopia tiz
Full proof of a chimp's chow down biz.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pawn Shop

Companies that have stuff to sell
Like to use sports to hype the sale.
Star players help the pitch go well,
Giving more gusto to retail.
Spectators watch the player play,
And also what the player does.
Companies are willing to pay
Big bucks to star players becuz
The stuff the player does consume -
Brand names that the player ingests,
Logos or whole outfits that groom.
Buy this, buy that - the game suggests.

The sport that's made for selling? - guess -
A no brainer - championship chess!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Azizi at Eleven - LP Zoo

I am Azizi, eleven
Years old. Wow - how the time flies by
In Lincoln Park Zoo - tiz heaven!
I'm one lucky gorilla guy.
The keepers keep me healthy fit,
Not just body, but mind and soul.
I often take the time to sit
And watch visitors rock and roll.
I mentor the other bach boys.
I'm on the parent to be track.
Life's more than just playing with toys.
More time forward, more silverback.

With great Zoo zeal, I sure do delve,
Going forward, heading for twelve.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

The Click of a Bat

A fruit bat, I was hanging out
Napping, just minding my own biz,
A pest grabbed me, human no doubt.
In a dark room I find I is.
My mouth was sealed, my tongue was numb.
I was let loose to fly around.
I tried real hard to just play dumb.
Varied obstacles did abound.
I guess the humans wanted to
Know if I could, cuz my wings clicked,
Echolocate to where I flew.
The humans were awed. I was ticked.

The worst, this bat is here to tell,
A batty human out of hell.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Turkeygate

Turkey pardons, Thanksgiving Day,
Is a tradition for the Prez.
But turkeys still might have to pay,
As a confirmed turkey tale sez.
President Nixon got a bird
That did make his enemies list.
Rambunctious turkey was the word,
And so not to get Nixon pissed,
An exec order issued to
Assure that the bird be subdued.
Dumb stuff politicians do do,
The turkey kept coming unglued.

Turkey feet nailed to stop all kick
That Tom might have for Tricky Dick.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Meerkat Thanks - LP Zoo

We meerkats hear the humans say
That a cornucopia is
Goodies filled for Thanksgiving Day,
Right before the Black Friday biz,
Where human stuff goes on big sale.
But we get goodies here for free,
Quicker than the flick of a tail,
Diving into horns of plenty,
To see and to hear and to smell,
And to touch and to taste goodies,
Humans have selected so well -
Thanksgiving opportunities.

From the meerkat gang's point of view,
Goodies rock at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Talk Roach

Two roaches were in an alley,
Munching on garbage in a can.
In between munch, some small talk be
That covers a roach's mind span.
One roach asked the other, "What's new?"
The other replied, "I checked out"
"A new restaurant I went to,"
"A clean establishment, no doubt,"
"Spotless kitchen - no dirt or waste,"
"Sanitary in ev'ry way,"
"Not appetizing to my taste."
The first roach frowned and then did say,

"Please don't talk about clean and neat,"
"Not while I am trying to eat."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pumpkin Pie

My main component - native one
From Americas, Greek to me,
As in melon cooked by the sun.
Thanks to smart folks, I came to be,
And now am a Thanksgiving must,
And popular in poem and song.
I am an icon people trust
To spice the holidays along.
The world's largest of me was made
Twenty ten, Bremen , Ohio,
Twenty eight hundred pounds I weighed,
Twenty feet diameter - whoa!

What a piece of work! What am I?
I, of course, am a pumpkin pie.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Soldiers' Living Tomb

The U.S.A. powers that be
Insist on fighting wars that cost
Less battlefield fatality,
But more living soldiers be lost.
Trillions of tax dollars are spent
Funding the fancy war machine.
But veterans in real torment -
Little bump on the D.C. scene.
It's up to private sources to
Find ways for veterans to heal.
When asked what D.C. ought to do,
D.C. response - not a big deal.

"Lucky" soldiers in battle died?
"Unlucky" soldiers - suicide?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Lemurs Thank - LP Zoo

Crowned lemurs from Madagascar
Come to America to be
Ambassadors for us afar
To try to save our specie
From loss of home and habitat.
We are a primate seeking to
Better the life where we are at.
We need human help to so do.
As Mom and Dad we're thankful for
The family we're blessed to share
With humans who visit galore,
And give much for our welfare.

We lemurs have Thanksgiving too,
Being here at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

My Barber

My barber to my question said,
When I asked for a good cut new,
Being it's on the same old head,
"No miracle that I can do."
No short cuts would my barber take.
"I'm in a hurry," I would say.
Guess my barber wanted to make
The hair I had left turn to gray.
My barber asked if I did wear
Anything red around my neck.
I said no, that my neck was bare.
My barber cut on, "What the heck!"

My barber says one word in groups.
It is a four letter word, "Oops!"

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Fishing Hole

A family had lost a son,
An 18 year old unarmed black,
Killed by a white policeman's gun.
The media went on fast track,
To stir up all the drama 'round,
Spewed by the leftie/rightie mix,
To color any truth be found.
Justice be spun by politics.
Nothing is ever black and white,
That the more red makes for more green.
Making money - all's left, all's right,
Catching the public 'twixt and 'tween.

The media fishing playbook,
Keep race bait wiggling on the hook.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Looking Black Hole

Astronomers on Earth refine
The ways and means to calculate
The infinite light years that shine
To us at a forever rate.
Monster black holes lurking out there,
Provide new points of measurement,
At the cores of galaxies where
Mind over matter may present.
So sinister sounds a black hole.
Does one lurk in the Milky Way,
Used by aliens for the goal
Of seeing us in cosmic ray?

The universe is growing, so,
Compared to what - anyone know?

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

A Walmart Carol

Walmart, the modern day Scrooge tiz.
Billionaire Walton family
Cares only about greedy biz.
Their workers slave in poverty.
Some union backed Xmas ghosts do
Picket and strike the Walmart stores,
Relentless P.R. campaign to
Dry up the cash register drawers,
Force this Scrooge from such wicked ways.
Pay more wages Walmart, or close.
No job's better the more it pays,
As any laid off worker knows.

Go elsewhere with the shopping cart,
Shame the Dickens out of Walmart.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Bo and the Small Biz

The Prez and First Daughters went out
To do Small Bizness Saturday,
At the same small bookstore no doubt,
Cuz book gifts are a routine play.
They have not bought a book called, "Bo,"
Cuz I'm still pawing  the details.
'Twill be a bark all - doncha know!
I'm expecting doggone good sales.
A book store is not where to find
A gift that's special just for me,
Something to wow a First Dog's mind.
I can psych the First Family.

There are small bizness pet stores too,
Or else I'll make a big dog do.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimp Chomp - LP Zoo

I am a chimp and like to chomp
Stuff like a champ and not a chump,
At Lincoln Park Zoo where I romp.
Treat times are when I rev my rump
To grab the goodies quicker than
The rest of the chimpanzee troop,
Like the little engine that can,
I rush around in swoop and scoop.
As omnivore, I like a lot
In plant and animal menu.
But I know whatever I got,
I'll chew with gusto - and I do.

As a stalker of celery,
A two fisted chomper I be.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Afghanistanstuck

We the People got dragged into
Afghanistan to right the wrong
9/11 attack did do.
The war there has been lost and long.
News media still in the tank
To make this occupation seem
Like We the People should still thank
D.C. goofs for this lamebrain scheme.
Was Vietnam so long ago,
That We the People have forgot?
There comes a time to just say no.
We think We're super - We are not.

Still stuck in lost Afghanistan.
Still stuck on stupid - only plan!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Krampus

Krampus is a creature from hell,
Horns and fangs and smelly dark fur,
Carries a stick and clangs a bell,
Seasonal bad Santa for sure.
Came to life in Alpine folklore,
Even before the Christmas days,
To scare all the children galore,
For any misbehaving ways.
Germanic for "claw," Krampus tiz
All the better to grab onto
The children in the not nice biz.
Child - Krampus is coming for you.

Krampus takes naughty children, so
Get ready child - you're gonna go.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

A Thought a Head

King Louis the 16th of France
Was not sold on astrology,
Decided to give it a chance.
The best astrologer there be,
Louis ordered beheaded, but
Did so in secret, so to ask
The astrologer pre the cut
To do the "when will you die" task.
Did the astrologer get wind
Of Louis' order that he die?
Who knows, but as to his own end,
The astrologer did reply,

"I shall die 3 days before you."
Louis was not sure what to do.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Fightin' Word

Many peoples across the land,
Before America was named
"Indian" - the Columbus brand,
Wrong "discovery" got him famed.
"Native Americans' - p.c.
"America" - another dude
Wandered over from Italy.
Other names - more dumb and/or rude.
Fast forward - Redskins football team,
Now hot debated con and pro.
To the Supreme Court, it would seem,
So all will be well - doncha know!

Many peoples - now U.S.A.
Skin color needs to go away.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tale of Nail - LP Zoo

Armadillo in residence,
Comfy at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
My digs have got room service, hence
Not a lot of digging to do.
And so my claws don't get worked out
A burrowing like in the wild,
Where claws would be dirty no doubt,
With messy stuff to keep them filed.
Here room and board is a Zoo chore.
I get attention, claws and all,
And when some treatment is called for,
A manicurist is on call.

Don't I look such a clawsome one!
Guess it's time to get my nails done.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Conqueror Worm - LP Zoo

Meerkats at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Our favorite color is green,
Cuz oft green comes with food, green do,
As shirt color on keepers seen.
Mealworms - our favorite snack,
And keepers keep them by the bunch
To toss amongst our fur pack,
The best way to say, " Let's do lunch."
We watch the worms tossed through the air,
And come to wriggle on the ground,
But do not stay very long there,
Cuz what goes upped quite soon comes downed.

The early bird catches the worm?
Not if a meerkat sees it squirm.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Play Pay

Cave people came up with the game
Of playing ball with this or that -
Rock, plant or beast part with the aim
Of fun - at some point added bat.
And through the ages, ball games did
Get tied to money more and more.
Star players knew no pay day lid,
Cuz fans would pay out cash galore,
To watch a player do the stuff
With a ball that was so awesome,
That the fans could not get enough.
Cave people would have thought this dumb.

Star players make an endless haul
To the bank on a bouncing ball.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

My Kind of Town

The Chicago night life - I love
All the smells, the lights and the sounds,
On all sides, below and above.
The Loop keeps looping on its rounds,
Always busy 'long Lake Shore Drive,
Lincoln Park Zoo to Navy Pier,
Sports stadiums coming alive,
The skyline glow in the Bean mirror.
I have my shadowed means and ways.
Passersby don't notice I am
Hunting by nights, sleeping by days.
I have been fitted with a cam.

Chicago born and bred I be,
Home to a coyote like me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Jambu Fruit Dove - LP Zoo

I am a male Jambu Fruit Dove,
With backside feathers forest green,
Just like the missus I so love,
But my breast - a pink patch be seen.
Me and the missus make a nest
And hope to hatch some dovies young.
As parents we do our best.
Oh, such sweet cooings we have sung.
Some baby "milk' we both do make
In our crops from eating fruit.
Mom and Dad duty for dove sake.
"Jambu' is Malaysian for cute.

You come visit Lincoln Park Zoo.
This dove is gonna jambu you.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Stork Story

When human children learn to talk,
So many questions children ask
One that always comes as a shock,
"Where did I come from?" Dread the task
The parent does of telling true,
The how and why and where detail.
So oft what does the parent do?
Kid got delivered like the mail,
By a family loving bird.
The stork brings the bundle of joy.
A request that the stork had heard
To bring this very girl or boy.

And baby stork delivery?
For now let's go with tooth fairy.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Columbus Mermaid

Christopher Columbus one day
In 1493 did spy
In the Caribbean sea spray,
A "mermaid' go a swimming by.
He noted that she was not so
Beautiful as paintings he'd seen,
In fact quite ugly - doncha know!
With chubby body, quite obscene.
And no front teeth, wrinkly and bald,
Not a siren with sex allure,
That to their deaths, sailors she called.
Columbus sailed on, puzzled sure.

What did Columbus really see?
Most likely 'twas a manatee.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Why Bee?

Humans are studying some bees,
That get involved in fierce warfare,
For no apparent reason - jeez!
Very baffling, humans declare.
Nest against nest and thousands die.
Each others' bodies torn apart.
So much of wasted carnage - why?
Some nests have to make a new start.
And when such nest is back once more,
Soon after it is deja vu,
Involvement in another war.
Bees have nothing better to do?

Humans wonder why bees do fight.
Look in a mirror for more insight.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Chocolate Less

The world is running out of it.
Exactly why is not yet known.
Is climate change the mean culprit?
Less and less of it's getting grown.
There may have to be rationing,
And haves will money out haves not.
Could turn into a zombie thing,
That being without it has brought.
A hoarder of it I'll become.
The shrinks have said that I am sick.
Life without it is worrisome.
Hello, I'm a chocoholic.

I hear this news and scream loud, "What!"
Must have my fix of chocolate.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hand on Football

The greatest football catch got caught
By Odell Beckham, rookie pro.
He had run down the field a lot,
To try to catch a real long throw.
Interfered with in his pursuit,
He got his right hand to the ball,
And three fingered the ball in route,
Pulling it in as he did fall,
Stretched backwards landing on his back,
Inside the end zone and in bounds.
Odell's got quite a catching knack,
And results in a touchdown - zounds!

Odell ode is called for on it.
Oh hell - it deserves a sonnet.