Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Made to Tell - LP Zoo

Sibling rivalry is at play,
As sister lions like to do.
One wants to know and one won't say,
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Some secret that or secret this,
One wants the other one to tell,
Cuz there's no secret kept 'tween Sis,
Which both of them know very well..
But how to force the secret out,
Of course the sisters do know how,
And doing a dab, there's no doubt.
"I'll tell, I'll tell - just stop it now."

Zalicki roars to Kamali,
"But you gotta stop tickling me!"

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Grandma's Recipe

When I was old enough to go,
I went to Grandma's house alone.
She said that she would feed me so,
I needed more flesh on my bone.
She fed me junk food by the pile,
All kinds of real fattening stuff.
A week went by and she did smile,
And said that I was fed enough.
She led me to the oven where
She cackled, causing me some doubt.
I felt the heat coming from there.
I swung a pot and knocked her out.

Fried, baked or broiled - I don't care which,
But Grandma would be one burned witch.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Huckabeef

Five darn lawyers, Huckabee sez,
Have ruled against the Bible thing,
'Bout marriage. Huck wants to be Prez,
So he's bashing gay marriaging.
Fat Mike went to Kentucky to
Hog the stage with the Demmie clerk,
To rouse the crowd into a stew.
At least one guy thinks Huck a jerk.
Teddy Cruz got bullied away.
When Fat Mike plays he does not share.
Just hillbilly props got to stay,
While the Huckster spewed through the air.

Supreme Court rules - some nope, some yup,
But ain't gonna shut the Huck up.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Monkey Aback

A monkey on one's back is deemed
To be a burden to be borne
By a sad soul who never dreamed
Of one stuck in pity or scorn.
Why a monkey the metaphor
Is not clear from fiction or fact.
Humankind is forevermore
Blaming others for one's bad act.
I've never heard a monkey say
Human on back is cause of woe,
Wishing such would just go away.
Monkeys have more sense - doncha know!

I've got a monkey on my back.
He is my son - a precious pack.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Cheney Chat

Cheneys - dad Dick and daughter Liz
Are doing Foxy Toxy to
Hawk their latest in hawk book biz
Of what America should do -
Do exceptional powers cuz
It got us lucky way back when
Our fighting World War II was
The last time that we had a win.
The Cheneys blame Obama for
All of the wrong turns that we took.
Not exceptional anymore -
Solution is to buy the book.

Foxy Toxy is a place where
Folks like the Cheneys spew hot air.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

The Child Less

The child was born into a land
At the wrong time and the wrong place.
The child too young to understand
The evil of the human race,
The senseless mad powers that be
Inflicting pain on powerless.
The child does flee with family,
Seeking some sanctuaryness.
A crowded boat in waters strange,
The child does fall into the deep.
The child's ill fate will never change.
There are no promises to keep.

The child does wash upon the shore.
The life is gone forevermore.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Shakers

The Shakers, a religious sect,
Came to the New York colony.
Mother Ann Lee they did select
As second coming Christ to be.
She preached the giving up of sin,
Including marriage as just lust.
To get in God's good grace again,
Celibate was simply a must.
Mother Ann Lee died, but still preached
In revelations from her grave.
In time, her no sex message reached
Only a handful left to save.

The name of Shakers did come from
Wild dancing during worshipdom.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Boudicca

Boudicca, widow warrior queen,
Of a proud ancient Britain land,
Sought to drive Romans from the scene,
Attacked old London, Roman manned.
She and her daughters led her force,
Slaughtering Romans all around.
The Roman leader fled, of course,
Back to Rome to make pleading sound.
Nero sent reinforcements to
Defeat Boudicca in the end.
But she became a symbol true.
Women warriors would one day trend.

Boudicca, statue with war crown
In London, which she once burned down.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Snorse

This here horse is a horse of course,
And a stallion importantly.
But I'm stuck with mean Missus horse,
For breeding purposes I be.
Better than going gelding way,
Castrated out of breeding prime.
So when asleep I'm so okay
With dreaming of hot filly time.
In fact that's what I'm dreaming now,
A fine filly to fill my bill.
But my dream does turn bad and how!
I must awake before I'm ill.

Neigh nay, the mean Missus is there,
And I am having a nightmare.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Python Wrapper - LP Zoo

A green tree python - that is me.
Find me at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
In the Small Reptile House I be
'Tween a couple of lizards two.
A monitor is on one side,
The other - a chameleon.
But this here snake can sure abide
Getting along with ev'ryone.
Most likely you will find me in
A very chilled out wrapped up state,
And on my sleepy face, a grin,
That my gig here is lucky fate.

Come to my window - do not tap.
Do not expect me to unwrap.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Easier to Chew

Homo erectus - early man
Had dental issues to evolve,
From fangs to dainty teeth - the plan.
But gnawing raw meat - how to solve!
Coincidently, came the brights
To figure out the ways to use
Fire for all of the heats and lights.
There was that moment came good news -
Put on fire a piece of raw meat,
And let it lay in flame a while,
Then pop into the mouth to eat,
And there was reason for a smile.

Meat cooked at that first barbeque
Was easier for man to chew.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Two Sisters Two - LP Zoo

Lioness sisters, we turned two
And had a fun birthday party,
Here home at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Where any age is fun to be.
Since we are not into boys yet,
The five year old lion, we roared,
An invitation to not get.
At this point he is just ignored.
Maybe when we are three next year,
We'll want a boy to be around.
But today's two twosome does cheer
The sisterhood to which we're bound.

No candles needed to be blown,
As we both gnawed on birthday bone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tarzan

Tarzan, king of the apes, arose
From Edgar Rice Burrough's dream mind,
Who wanted to tale tell, so chose
Apes of imaginary kind,
The manzani somewhere between
Real apes and humans who did raise
The white orphan boy in the scene
Of dark and deep Africa days,
Early 20th century.
21st century Tarzan
Racist and sexist deemed to be
Would be a p.c. naughty man.

Fictional characters don't act
As bad as real humans in fact.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Let Me Hear You Sing

A gal, I'm on the Dating Game
To pick from three contestant guys.
Who has the best voice is my aim,
More important than looks or size.
Tenor contestant number one,
Who has a song that's high and fast.
Number two - a baritone done
In low, slow tone, his song is cast.
And number three is 'twixt and 'tween
The voices of the other two.
So hard to pick - know what I mean?
What and who is a gal to do!

For a frog gal, it's a touch choice
Picking my frog prince with THE voice.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Go West

Kanye West stormed the stage to take
The year's life achievement award.
For Kanye, one more chance to make
It obvious that he had scored.
A chug or puff before he came
To MTV to diatribe
Whatever seemed to pump his game,
His endless selfies to describe.
Holding the trophy in his hand,
He dissed the music industry.
So he was gonna take a stand -
The U.S. President to be.

2020 - can Kanye dump
Current President Donald Trump?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Denali

Denali, great one, once again.
Mountain once named Mount McKinley,
Because of politics of men.
Native Alaskan as should be
For nature's wonder in the place
And time beyond all that's man made.
Deserving only named in grace
By humans who first came and stayed.
A hundred year wrong now is right.
The great one has its rightful name.
And all who be within its sight
Speak of Denali by acclaim.

Ohio can and maybe will
Name a local McKinley Hill.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Birthday Boy, King - LP Zoo

I don't remember much about
Two years ago when Mom announced
It was time for me to pop out,
So sixty pounds of me sure bounced,
New born at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I was Mom's first and pride and joy.
She raised me great as great Moms do.
Now I'm a two thousand pound boy
Living on my own, life is good.
I'm doing the Zoo show biz thing,
And playing in the neighborhood.
I am the black rhino called King.

For me there's no terrible twos.
Come to the Zoo, I will amuse.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

HillBillill and The Hamptons

"Bill - heads up, I'm on my way"
"To the Hamptons to spend with you,"
"For the 100 grand two week stay,"
"As we ' broke' Clintons like to do."
"Chelsea and Charlotte will join us,"
"Also son-in-law what's his name."
"All of this running for Prez fuss,"
"Has got me rusty on my game."
"I'm hoping some of your lip charm"
"Will rub off on me so I can"
"Keep the Demmies from more alarm,"
"That I'm an outstanding 'woe' man."

"A 'champion' for the middle class,"
"Cool big bucks bubbly for my glass."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

After the White House

Jimmy Carter is deemed the best
Of former U.S. President,
Doing far more than all the rest,
Leaving global good works hand print.
Habitat for Humanity,
Just one example where he built
A reputation tirelessly
Across the world in patch work quilt.
Retaining roots in common good,
He branched out from White House defeat,
To do the winning that he could.
A higher calling he would meet.

Now over 90 and quite ill,
Jimmy Carter lives on God's will.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

It Figures

P.c. police say he and she
And him and her and hers and his
As part of lingo should not be,
Cuz gender bias such use is.
Biology - so yesterday
When gender to communicate.
Singular it and plural they
Would bring p.c. right up to date.
Distinctions 'tween female and male
Are only just matter of mind,
An insignificant detail
For p.c. for all humankind.

We be p.c. because we can,
No matter what it hits the fan.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Stilt Chick - LP Zoo

Two weeks now I've been born and bred,
A stilt chick at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Mom is helping me get ahead,
Doing Mom stuff as Moms will do.
I'm sandy now to blend in sand
To keep me safer as I grow.
But in time I do understand
Black and white feathers will be so.
And on my long legs I will strut,
And with my long bill I will peck,
With my long wings I'll ope and shut.
Will be a good life - what the heck!

Come to the Bird House Seashore where
If you're lucky, I'll stilt be there.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Mark Moogalian

He was shot in the neck and back,
While rushing to stop a mad man,
On a French train that was on track
For tragedy as mad men can.
Shot, he tried to get to his wife.
Other heroes were on the scene.
He was about to lose his life.
Love and hate, he was caught between.
His wife called desperately for aid.
One hero stopped the bleeding flow.
Much of the heroes have been made,
But of him - little do we know.

He has no limelight - that's a shame.
Mark Moogalian is his name.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Playdate - LP Zoo

The young girl and the young boy meet.
Of course some chaparones  are near.
The two together look so sweet.
But sweetness oft can disappear,
When youth be at that awkward age.
Passive aggressive stuff does flair.
Uncontrollable hormones rage.
And there is tension in the air.
Cautious around her, he does skirt.
She watches him with wary eye.
Neither of them knows how to flirt.
Tough being a young gal and guy.

To have a playdate, it takes two
Lions at the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

HillBillill and The Orange Jail Suit

"Bill - my treating this email mess"
"Like a joke is not going well."
"I need some of your charm, I guess."
"Foxy Toxy can go to hell."
"I thought the Insta - disappear,"
"Or wiping my server by cloth"
"Would give me an aw shucks veneer,"
"But only made the critics froth."
"And now the word is leaking out,"
"My server was kept in a john,"
"While I was campaigning about,"
"Saying it was time to move on."

"Foxy Toxy had never to toot,"
"I was wearing an orange jail suit."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Margaret Sanger

Planned Parenthood did first begin
With Margaret Sanger who coined
The term, birth control, for women,
And lots of controversy joined.
One such was her eugenics stand
To eliminate births "unfit."
Sterilization should be planned,
Human race depended on it.
Sexual and racial chaos
Was what the world would too soon know.
Birth control needed get across
To save the world from poor Negro.

Sanger favored contraception,
Just the last resort - abortion.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Foxy Toxy - Debate

Foxy Toxy did a debate
For Repubbie Pres wannabes,
Who most of the time had to wait
For Foxy hosts to shoot the breeze,
Huffing and puffing this and that
Of quips and questions to pump more
Of gotcha into the chit chat,
Poll gods forbid a ratings bore.
Trump was the only one who dared
Take on the moderating game.
Top cable ratings ever aired -
That's Foxy Toxy's only aim.

For Foxy Toxy guests, a tip -
The hosts will grab most of the lip.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Catch / Drop

Here I am at the baseball game.
Dad is out with his infant son.
Leaving him home would be a shame.
I don't want him to miss the fun.
A ball is smacked into left field,
Coming right at me just as though
A made in heaven's fate's been sealed.
I gotta catch this - doncha know!
Holding the baby in one arm,
I stretch the other arm way out,
Nothing in mind of any harm.
This ball is mine. There is no doubt.

Too good - I did not drop the ball.
Too bad - the baby took a fall.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Jesse Watters

Jesse Watters, a talking head,
Who works for Foxy Toxy Views.
Often his interviews be spread
On O'Reilly's Factor to use
As fill in bantering to let
Bombastic Billy catch his breath.
And Bill hopes Jesse won't forget
Not to bore the viewers to death.
Jesse talks more than any guest,
But less than most other heads do.
By this time Jesse's prob'ly guessed
Foxy Toxy talks the long view.

Walking the streets with collar furled,
Jesse jabbers in Watter's World.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Blanding's Turtle - LP Zoo

A Blanding's turtle I am named,
After some long dead nature dude.
I am in Lincoln Park Zoo, famed
Being a fun placed to be Zooed.
Endangered North American,
Due to loss of good habitat.
So I shell forth, a turtle one,
To let folks know where we are at,
No yelling from my yellow throat.
I do flipper through wet and dry,
On a mission of locomote,
Remind humans to better try.

If I see you peeking about,
Maybe I will stick my neck out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Volana - LPZ

A crowned lemur, I was born new
In April of twenty fifteen.
My fam'ly's home - Lincoln Park Zoo.
My name's Volana which does mean
Moon in Malagasy, the speak
In Madagascar where my kind
Come from, and are primates unique
Furry balls of cuteness designed.
The Zookeepers are pretty sure
That from my features, I'm female.
I'm soon due for an exam tour.
My gender then the vet should nail.

Come by the Zoo and visit soon.
Be sure to check out this new "moon."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Nefertiti

Nefertiti, Egyptian queen,
In the 1300's B.C.
Famous when her bust made the scene,
Kind of cone head, but quite queenly.
Pharaoh's daughter and wife and mum,
And maybe pharaoh power too.
Many a take in theorydom.
Scholars disagree what is true.
Nefertiti did live and die,
And worshiped Aten, god of sun.
But no sun shows where she may lie,
Remains uncovered, one by one.

Through time her where a bones be sought,
Nefertiti - mummy or not!

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Angel at Home

Angel, New Orleans born and bred,
Home alone when Katrina blew,
Sank her home, Angel would be dead,
But a rooftop rescue came through.
Waters receded, Angel went
Back to her home, and waited for
Year after year, but no help sent.
Powers that be did nothing more
Than threaten her to take away
The only home she's ever known,
A ruined home where she does stay.
No one will help. Angel's alone.

Powers that be spin round and round.
At home, Angel is homeless bound.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Julian Bond

Julian Bond in '68
Went to Chicago to be part
Of Democratic party fate
In a convention off the chart.
A Georgia black man in protest
Of fighting the Vietnam war,
Nominated V.P. - no jest.
At 28 - too young to score,
The Constitution did say so.
But Julian had set the stage.
It would take time but would be so.
Julian began a new age.

'Twixt black and white, 'tween left and right,
Julian Bond fought the good fight.