Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Worm Warming LP Zoo

Meal time, meal worms, the meerkat mob
Do hit the ground a running fast,
Each one pumped to gobble a gob,
Each one a true enthusiast.
The meal worms be a tasty treat,
Keepers toss in the habitat,
Yum, yum, the meerkats love to eat,
And do so quick - no time to chat.
In hardly any time at all,
Disappear - all the meal worms do.
The meerkats, ever on the ball,
Do their thing at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Meerkats do love meal worms a bunch,
A favorite to grab and munch.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Flying Pickpockets - LP Zoo

We hammerkops do watch, we do,
As human visitors walk by
In the Bird House, Lincoln Park Zoo.
Tiz opportunity - that's why!
We are a bird that watches so
We might see stuff that's out and loose.
Humans are careless, doncha know,
And easy pickings we deduce.
When stuff we see, then down we swoop,
And stuff in beak, we fly away,
And take and add to the nest scoop.
Our collection does dismay.

Since the area is free flight
We can grab stuff that's not held tight.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bali Mynah Sings - LP Zoo

A Bali mynah bird I be.
Almost extinct do be my kind
In the wild, so it's up to me
To help the caring humans find
The ways and means that can be found
To save the Bali mynah bird
From an extinction all around.
From my perch I am seen and heard,
Reminding humans of this plight,
And I'm hoping that humans will
Keep in mind from my sound and sight,
And help conserve us, there's time still.

Visit me at Lincoln Park Zoo,
And I will sing my song for you.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Polar Plunge - LP Zoo

January thaw - what to do
To keep my energy alive -
Energized at Lincoln Park Zoo.
So of course I will take a dive.
Upon a rock I stand on high,
Spring off and out in artful grace.
Then in a downward arc go I
Into the wet, a diving ace.
All those watching my one bear show,
Humans marvel at what I've done.
Yes, going for the gold I go,
All of me - about half a ton.

No matter what the weather be,
I bear a polar plunge with glee.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Faux Strawberry - LP Zoo

I like real strawberries, I do.
But this strawberry is not real,
That's "planted" at Lincoln Park Zoo.
I must check into this new deal.
A look a like, this strawberry,
Much bigger and of paper made.
I sense it's not at all scary,
Something for me the keeper's laid.
The keepers keep me on my toes
With all sorts of stuff to check out,
With eyes and hands and tongue and nose.
I'll find a treat in it, no doubt.

Though young this gorilla may be,
It's hard for keepers to fool me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Transnistria

Transnistria did break away
In 1990 in protest
From Moldova, and to this day
Claims its independence with zest.
We be a country, yes we be,
Transnistrians be proud to claim.
Top of the tallest building see
The whole country in single frame.
Moldova tried without success
To force Transnistria's return.
There was a war, then ceasefire, yes.
Transnistrians for freedom yearn.

The rest of the world does insist
Transnistria does not exist.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Stare Down - LP Zoo

Being a teenager I am
Kind of moody from time to time.
From to time I act the ham,
As up, down and about I climb.
All people tend to stare at me,
And boy this boy really stares back.
My awesome stare can truly be
Penetrating - I have that knack.
When I get bored I look away.
Some times staring - enough's enough.
I have so many games to play -
Never ending gorilla stuff.

When you come to Lincoln Park Zoo
I'll keep an eye out just for you.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Light and Lay

The chicken or egg - which came first?
No one does seem to know for sure.
But light does need to be dispersed
For hen egg laying to secure.
Hens need at least twelve hours light,
Natural or artificial,
To do daily egg laying right.
This fact is proven official.
The required light time does let go
A hormone from the chicken's brain
That kick starts the egg laying show
Resulting in each egg that's lain.

Light is needed for eggs to be
That is a true fact - "eggs"actly!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

ZooLights - LP Zoo

ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo
Bring humans out in cold and night.
What crazy stuff humans can do.
Ah, what an awesome sound and sight.
This seal does swim around the pool,
Taking all in on ev'ry side.
Wow, those ice sculptures are so cool,
And lights do dazzle far and wide.
Through some winter weeks ev'ry year
ZooLights is a must come and see,
Filling all with lots of good cheer,
A time and place where wonder be.

I feel this is a super show,
And clap my flippers, doncha know!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ice Breaker - LP Zoo

The pond is frozen, what to do!
The wild ducks sense help will appear.
Sure enough, at Lincoln Park Zoo,
Keeper to rescue - have no fear!
All bundled up in wading suit,
The ice breaking keeper does wade
With dedication absolute,
To serve the birds and be of aid.
The keeper breaks apart the ice.
Again the ducks do freely roam
The pond waters, and life is nice
For all who call this winter home.

All seasons, keepers keep on top,
With winter ice keepers chop chop.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Changes - LP Zoo

Changes at the Lincoln Park Zoo -
The Lion House on the inside
No longer has lions to view,
Pending a remake for the pride.
Future renovations will make
A better lion habitat.
A few years for this it will take.
But outside still roams this big cat,
A he or a she or a she,
Each may choose whether to be out,
One or two or maybe all three,
It's up to each lion, no doubt.

Enjoy them now, just so you know,
The time will come and all must go.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pavel Goes to Washington - LPZoo

Pavel has gone to Washington..
We wish you all the best we do.
You'll always be a fav'rite one
For us here at Lincoln Park Zoo.
We hope your cross country trip went
Comfortably from here to there.
We're happy for the time you spent
With us - good memories to share.
The Smithsonian Zoo should be
A grrreat place for your stripes to star,
Make some rip roaring history,
Showing off how awesome you are.

You look good Pavel from the pix.
But watch out for the politics.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Dream On

When Wifey awoke from a sleep,
She told Hubby she had a dream,
That she received a gift, not cheap,
A pearl necklace, Wifey did beam.
Wifey asked Hubby what he thought
That her dream could possibly mean.
Wifey asked Hubby this a lot.
Hubby felt pressured 'twixt and 'tween.
So Hubby went out and did buy
A gift for Wifey and gave her.
She opened the gift with a sigh,
Knowing what was inside for sure.

Excited Wifey took a look,
There - "The Meaning of Dreams," a book!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Double Death

I became nanny to twin boys.
At the time they were six years old.
One day they were playing with toys
When a tragedy did unfold.
One fell down steps and hit his head.
He lay motionless on the floor.
I felt his pulse and he was dead.
The other twin ran out the door.
Soon thereafter I heard him scream.
Upon the floor he too did lay.
And he was dead - was this a dream?
The police came later that day.

And now I sit in a jail cell.
What did happen - I cannot tell.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Queen Anne's Revenge

Blackbeard, the pirate, captured her
Near the island of Martinique,
Renamed Queen Anne's Revenge - unsure
Why - Blackbeard was mum so to speak.
To the Caribbean she sailed,
Blackbeard's flagship, she led the way.
Many a merchant ship assailed.
Queen Anne's Revenge was make'em pay.
Near North Carolina, off shore,
Blackbeard to her no longer bound.
Her usefulness to him no more.
He purposely ran her aground.

Dumping her is often his plan.
What can one expect of a man!

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

P.T. Barnum's Sucker Search

P.T. Barnum's show biz began
When he did buy Joice Heth, a slave.
Then advertisements P.T. ran.
Hundred sixty years old, Heth gave
Child nursing to George Washington.
Lots of skeptics questioned her age.
P.T. had an autopsy done,
After Heth died, on a public stage.
Of course the public paid a fee
To hear Heth was eighty years old.
The hoax did not deter P.T.
Joice Heth was still alive he told.

Sucker folks - P.T. was in it.
"A sucker's born ev'ry minute."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Cookie Ordeal

I squeezed through the dog door into
The house to see what I could find -
A plate of cookies yum to chew.
The cops came - I was in a bind.
I gave the cops a merry chase.
At last one cop grabbed hold of me.
I struggled, scratching the cop's face,
My way of saying, "Let me be."
But the cop held me super tight,
And the two of us went outside.
I was let go into the night.
All in all, I was satisfied.

Got a cookie in my tail curl,
So it was worth it for this squirrel.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Mutiny on the Bounty

The HMS Bounty did sail,
And was captained by William Bligh.
Went to Tahiti, crew all male.
Paradise turned the crew awry.
Apparently, most of the crew
Did not want to leave paradise.
So there was nothing else to do
But mutiny to be precise.
Captain Bligh was forced out to float,
With a few crew who did support,
In the Bounty's small purpose boat.
Luckily, they made it to port.

Mutiny on the Bounty be
A mystery of history.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Farewell 2017 - LP Zoo

Almost over, another year.
A lot of years have come and gone
At Lincoln Park Zoo I hold dear,
A wonderful home for this swan.
I love the seasons, one and all.
This year so far I've enjoyed three.
I've sensed spring and summer and fall,
And now I sense the winter be.
The snow has fallen to the ground.
There is a glowing icy chill
Enveloping my pond around.
There's serenity in the still.

Two thousand seventeen, so long.
Out with the old with my swan song.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Happy 2018 - LP Zoo

Twenty eighteen - Happy New Year.
We penguins celebrate, we do,
With lots of waddleing good cheer
Here at home at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Dressed in tuxedo black and white,
An elegant bunch we be, and
Party hearty all through the night,
Occasion glorious and grand.
The clock counts down to midnight plus,
From our throats we burst forth fine
In awesome song from all of us,
A rendition of "Auld Lang Syne."

A New Year's resolution be -
On your visit, make you happy.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Fax of Life

A human body will one day
Be implantable with a phone.
One of the hands might be the way
For a communication zone.
The brain would think the number, and
Then transmit the signal to call.
To talk, just simply raise the hand,
Communicate to one and all.
Hi tech may even go beyond,
And need only telepathy.
A new age truly will have dawned
For how connected bodies be.

And a body will fax, no doubt.
Which orifice will it come out?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Proud Momma - LP Zoo

Momma takin is taking note
Of what her young uns are up to.
Takins are a kind of a goat
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Her two young uns have climbed upon
A big wood log covered in snow,
A balancing phenomenon
Of feat of feet they yearn to show.
Momma takin comes up real near
To her two young uns, nose to nose.
On her face a grin does appear.
Momma takin's pride surely shows.

Momma takin is taking care
Of feats her young uns want to share.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

The Thinker - LP Zoo

This snow monkey is in deep thought,
Pondering lots of weighty stuff.
I ponder lots of stuff a lot -
Stuff I cannot ponder enough.
Often I am pondering why
I find me pondering so much.
And then I realize that I
Just cannot help but ponder such.
Ah, the challenges that I face.
So much to ponder, yes I do
Ponder any time, any place,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Only great thoughts come out of me,
I be a thinker, yes I be!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Enrichment - LP Zoo

Enrichment is a good noun that
Appeals to animal senses,
To enjoy in the habitat
With positive consequences.
Maybe something to hear or see,
Maybe something to taste or smell,
Maybe something to touch, maybe
Something for all senses , do tell.
An animal, each one and all,
Wants and needs good enrichment toward
A better living protocol.
No animal likes living bored.

Enrichment at Lincoln Park Zoo
Means fun for animals to do.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Cat Nipped!

An I Robot vacuum I got
That by itself does vacuuming.
I do like the concept a lot
Hi tech is a marvelous thing.
Throughout the house I Robot rolls,
Picking up all the dirt and stuff,
Cleanliness - worthiest of goals,
I cannot sing praises enough.
Now a part of the family,
I Robot whether him or her
Does share a special bond with me,
Yes a helpful blessing for sure.

I Robot, I note fur is on,
And then I note the cat is gone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Rolling Monkey - LP Zoo

Lookie what the keepers have done -
Put a ball in the habitat,
A nice sized ball all set for fun,
Presenting a ways and means that
This young monkey cannot resist
Such an opportunity fine
That certainly cannot be missed,
The chance to have this monkey shine.
And so I hop upon the ball,
While all the other monkeys view,
And move my feet in feat for all,
Performing at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Awesome showing off is my goal.
I'm on the ball, I'm on a roll.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Dickens of a Christmas

A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens wrote,
Hoping to improve finances,
Written at "white heat" speed the quote
Under stressful circumstances.
Dickens paid for the publishing,
For profit percent in exchange.
High costs left Dickens a wishing
A better deal he might arrange.
But,alas, it was not to be.
After a year the profits were
In pound numbers quite miserly,
Disappointing Dickens for sure.

When Dickens' creditors did bug,
Dickens would mutter, "Bah, Humbug!"

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Missed Messaging

I'm driving down the road and see
Some religious fanatics who
Are holding signs waving at me,
"The end is near." What do I do?
I curse them out as I drive by,
Yell that they're only in the way.
Why must they be a bother, why?
Hey get a life is what I say.
Still peeved I just keep driving on,
Speed up to make up for time lost.
Then suddenly, the road is gone.
Into the river I get tossed.

More useful sign for me, no doubt,
Would have been one, "The bridge is out."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mamie "Peanut" Johnson

Mamie "Peanut" Johnson stood tall
With class in baseball history.
In the Negro Leagues she played ball,
A pitcher good as any be.
She played with black men who gave her
Respect for playing the game right.
The women's league said no for sure.
She could not play, she was not white.
A batter faced her pitch one day.
Her nickname, Peanut," came about.
Short as a peanut he did say.
Shortly after she struck him out.

Playing pro baseball was her aim.
Peanut made it a better game.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Fairy Tale Castle

Ludwig second, fairy tale king,
Of old Bavaria did build
A fairy tale castle to bring
Real life to fantasy he willed.
The Neuschwanstein Castle began
In 1869 to rise
Upon an alpine high hill span,
Towers rising into the skies.
Years later Ludwig did move in,
Where the fairy tale king did reign.
Eviction plans did soon begin
When Ludwig was declared insane.

This was more than Ludwig could take,
Was found dead in a nearby lake.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

He P.C.

I've got a p.c. - named him Tex.
Folks ask me why it be a he.
It be a he in these respects -
Lots of data, but clueless be.
Supposed to help but often is
The cause of the problem himself.
Get him fixed and note in store biz
A better model on the shelf.
So as to get his attention
I always have to turn him on.
Of course his performance is done
If there's a power surge - he's gone.

Just some reasons that I detail
On why I know my p.c.'s male.