Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Celery-bration - LP Zoo

This chimp loves celery, I do.
I cannot get enough of it,
To eat here at Lincoln Park Zoo,
Chomping away in a love sit,
A celery stalk in each fist,
Each awaiting a chow down turn,
Not a single bite to be missed,
Not when this chimp has such a yearn.
Why I like celery so much
Is a matter of common sense,
With the taste, sound, sight, smell and touch.
Celery is just so intense.

Ever watch a celery romp?
Just come and check out this chimp chomp.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Owl My Children

Hi, I'm Freya, how do you do!
My hubby, Stanley, and I be
Now alone at Lincoln Park Zoo.
The kids are on their own - yippee!
An empty nest for now will give
Both of us a chance for some rest
From parenting, and we can give
Attention to mutual best,
Catch up on some fun leisure stuff,
With lots more free time to fly by.
With kids there never is enough
Privacy for this gal and guy.

We'll have more snowy owls no doubt,
But for now we have called time out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

In a Sniff - LP Zoo

I am a polar bear, I do

Sniff out what comes and goes by me,

In my home at Lincoln Park Zoo.

A sniffer outer I do be.

"Talini," I say, "Hey girl there"
"Be a smell that needs sniffing out."

It bears some sniff out in the air -

Smells like male polar bear, no doubt.

"Siku" I hear called out his name,

Has a good sniff about him, yes.

I'll follow up this sniff, I'm game

For a face to face, I confess.

Whatever scent that comes and goes,

There be no doubt Talini nose!

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Party Time Unknown

Stephen Hawking, famed scientist,
Thought and wrote a lot about time.
Asked if time travel did exist,
Hawking did choose a test sublime -
Threw a party open to all,
Did serve hors d'oeuvres and iced champagne,
But only sent the invite call
After the time to entertain.
So only those who would attend
Would be time travelers who'd know
That if in time, time back could send,
Then to the party they could go.

Only in time could Hawking blame.
To his party nobody came.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Whiff of Romance - LP Zoo

Fee fi fo fum - I smell a bear,
A polar bear I smell, I do.
The scent of romance in the air
At my new home - Lincoln Park Zoo.
I want to be a future Mom,
And so I got signed up indeed
On the polar bear match dot com
To find the mister that I need.
And here I be in time and place,
Hoping that Mister Right is here,
And soon we can come face to face,
And Cupid's magic will appear.

This single girl can hardly wait.
I'm smelling a future first date.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bachelor Pad - LP Zoo

I do a bachelor's life, I do,
Awaiting time to find a mate
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Such a life is gorilla great!
The bachelor pad is big enough,
Giving me lots of time and space
To get away from roomie stuff,
Lone time at a leisurely pace.
I'm enjoying my teenage years
As my back gets silverer when
Being a future Dad appears.
I'll rest now to be ready then.

When you come visit me, no doubt,
Most likely I'll be hanging out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bird of Wow Helmet - LP Zoo

Northern helmeted curassow,
I have a long bird name, I do.
It is my helmet that does wow.
Check me out at Lincoln Park Zoo.
An armor like casque, bluish gray,
Protrudes distinct from my forehead,
Looking like an egg some would say,
But no egg of mine - enough said!
Some scientists do theorize
The casque functions to resonate
The male's low booming call - hey guys,
This lady's looking for a mate!

I'm in the Bird House, check me out.
I'm gonna wow you too, no doubt!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Napping Day - LP Zoo

National Napping Day, '18,
Day after Daylight Saving Time.
Lincoln Park Zoo does set the scene -
Sleeping Beauty, reason for rhyme.
Little gorilla Patty girl,
Back when even not a year old,
Nestled with Momma all acurl,
Snuggly sleeping in dreams untold.
At that young age, napping for her
Was often through the night and day,
Getting rest lots a must for sure,
Sleeping many hours away.

Now five years old, Patty does choose
Whenever she wants - take a snooze!

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Buy FSC - LP Zoo

On behalf of Lincoln Park Zoo
This gorilla makes an appeal
For conservation help to you.
We are wasting forests for real.
Gorillas need forests to live,
But these forests humans do take.
With conserving, humans can give
Back our homes for wildlife sake.
Products certified FSC
Mean the products have been made from
Where there be sustained forestry.
Such practices are so welcome!

So when you go shopping please buy
Products FSC certify.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Open House - LP Zoo

We flamingos do share we do,
Time and place with other birds that
Fly wild into Lincoln Park Zoo.
We all share our habitat.
These wild birds know that they will be
Always welcome to our home,
And stay however long for free,
Until ready to again roam.
The keepers keep us all well fed,
And so we share many a meal,
All together breaking bird bread.
For us flamingos - no big deal!

We flamingos, in other words,
Like flamingling with other birds.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Lynxed In - LP Zoo

This lynx sees something round and blue,
A big saucer like bowl it is
Just for me at Lincoln Park Zoo.
I like my keepers mind my biz.
My senses pick up fast and fine.
I see, I hear, I taste, I smell,
I touch and make the saucer mine,
In mind and body for a spell.
Always something new to check out.
My enrichment is a Zoo goal.
The saucer soon will bore, no doubt.
For the moment I rock and roll.

Curiosity killed the cat?
No way in this lynx habitat!

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Pearl of No Wisdom

A blow a bunch of money bet
It is said Cleopatra made.
A cost for one meal that she set
In a frivolous escapade.
An inexpensive modest meal
At first she did fully consume,
Then she dropped a large pearl for real,
A one of a kind royal heirloom,
Into a cup of vinegar.
As the pearl was dissolving, she
Did drink down the cocktail, for sure
One bet won and one pearl lost be.

The biggest pearl in the world known,
Twenty million dollars worth blown.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Attire to Inspire - LP Zoo

A fashion statement I do make,
Wearing my stripes of black and white.
Very dressy for zebra's sake,
Where and when I may be on sight.
I do my fashion show I do
Every day throughout the year,
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
My stripes just never disappear.
Black and white stripes do always be
In fashion whatever season,
And so I know the stripes on me
Be for a very good reason.

So when you visit, you no doubt,
Should take time to check my stripes out.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Phineas Gage

Phineas Gage by accident,
New Hampshire, 1848,
Clear through his head a crowbar went.
Yet somehow he survived this fate.
His personality did change,
But not as much as tales did tell.
At times he acted a bit strange,
But all in all did rather well.
He did live another 12 years,
And at age 38 he died
From epilepsy it appears,
Well known to science far and wide.

Still on museum display are
Phineas' skull and the crowbar.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

LEAP - LP Zoo

Learn, Explore and Play is the LEAP
Program at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
For young human children to reap
Many benefits, fun to do.
Young visitors in time and place
Gather in the Ape House to be
By a gorilla face to face,
And learn to live in harmony.
Such connection to wildlife can
Be beginnings of bondings good,
Over the youngster's whole life span,
Sharing in the world neighborhood.

It is up to the young today
To LEAP forward and lead the way.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

The Screaming Mummy

A mummy, 3000 years old,
Was discovered in Egypt, and
Then a mystery did unfold.
Solvers did strive to understand.
The "Screaming Mummy" he was known,
Because the mouth was open wide
As though in anguished scream full blown.
In pain and fear he must have died.
The leading theory to date is
He was a prince hanged for the crime
Of foul assassination biz,
Killing the Pharaoh of the time.

Though he was found in a royal tomb,
He was marked for eternal doom.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Inca Tern - LP Zoo

The Inca tern, a coastal bird,
Found wild from Chile to Peru.
Ambassador, I spread the word
In the Bird House, Lincoln Park Zoo.
Endangered do my species be,
With more and more habitat loss,
And so as you come visit me,
Maybe as our paths do cross,
You might be inspired to do more
To help nature and heed the call
To help conserve and help restore
Nature's best For Wildlife For All.

I do stand out with flair and dash,
Sporting an awesome white mustache.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Welcome Talini - LP Zoo

Some true great news has come to bear
For all at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Female Talini comes to share
The habitat with male Siku.
Some time these polar bears will spend
Getting to know the other one
Behind the scenes to then extend
To public debut to be done.
In the meantime, Siku will be
Going back and forth, in and out,
A bit distracted probably,
With all the excitement, no doubt!

Welcome Talini - good news yes
That you have a new home address.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pre Pink - LP Zoo

A Chilean flamingo chick,
I recently did hatch anew.
I'm getting used to life real quick
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
A ball of fluff all grayish white,
It will take a couple of years
Of eating food that's colored right
Before my feathered pink appears.
In the meantime, both Mom and Dad
Feed me milk like substance made
From their crop glands that both have had
Ready for parent escapade.

Look for a bunch of pink, then see
If you can pick out non pink me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chicago - Ago

Chicago did become a town
In August 1833.
About 200 folks were roun'
To say Chicagoans they be.
In 1837 then
The town became all citified.
Billy Ogden was picked to win
First city mayor bona fide.
For several decades then on,
The fastest growing city - yes!
The age of Chicago did dawn.
Winds of prosperity did bless.

But then wheels of fortune did turn.
The Great Chicago fire did burn.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Arctic Tern

The arctic tern is the bird that
Migrates the furthest ev'ry year,
From north to south in habitat,
Follows summertime there to here.
The arctic tern each year does fly
About 24,000 miles.
When the arctic tern is asked why,
This most frequent flyer just smiles.
To follow food most likely is
The main reason for such long flight.
Summer is where there's most food biz,
And thus the frequent flying rite.

Wherever on Earth summer be,
The arctic tern is attendee.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Dip for Two - LP Zoo

"My dear, I'm going for a dip"
"In the pool - why don't you come too!"
So the penguins take a short trip
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Leaving their love nest to check out
A bit of splish and splash of fun,
Moving over the quickest route,
They waddle but they do not run.
At the water's edge they do pause.
Should they dive in or should they not?
Oh, what the heck, dive in , because
Penguins do love water a lot.

Nothing like a refreshing swim
To refresh penguins her and him.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimp of Hearts '18 - LP Zoo

I love Valentine's Day, I do.
Valentines fill this chimp with love,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
I grab the hearts hanging above,
All throughout the chimp habitat,
Placed by the keepers keeping me
In a happy heartfelt mood that
Is just as special as can be.
Of all the chimps I grab the most,
To show most valentines are mine.
With handfuls of hearts I can boast
This chimp is super valentine.

If other chimps come up heart bare,
I have a heart and I will share.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

For O'Croc - LP Zoo

This dwarf crocodile is all eyes
For anything or body that
Comes within my range - no surprise
What happens in my habitat.
Most often I stay very still.
Sometimes humans think that I be
Made of plastic and stuffed with fill.
I'm glad humans can't tickle me.
But when I see food on the way,
Then I can be seen moving fast,
No longer stillness on display.
When I chow down, I flabbergast!

Come visit the Lincoln Park Zoo.
I'm keeping an eye out for you.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Humble Beginnings

In '37, Easter day,
An 18 year old lad began
To preach the gospel and to pray
That God make him a better man.
The crowd was small that day that heard
The nervous young preacher try to
In 8 long minutes spread the word,
Not the best preaching he would do.
But through the years the man became
The preacher extraordinaire.
Everybody knew his name,
Most humanity heard him share.

He preached under a worldwide dome.
God has called Billy Graham home.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Miracle on the Hudson

January 15th the day,
And in two thousand nine the year,
Miracle on the Hudson say
History as the facts made clear.
Flight 1549 did fly
From La Guardia and did hit
A flock of wild geese flying by,
And all engine power did quit.
Captain "Sully" had to decide
Very quickly what he should do.
He steered the plane into a glide,
And onto the river, fate flew.

All souls did survive and for sure
A miracle perfect and pure.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Having a Snow Ball '18 - LP Zoo

After a snowstorm, what to do!
Kapuki, the rhino, heads out
In her yard at Lincoln Park Zoo
To storm into the snow, no doubt!
Her horn of plenty of scooped snow,
Like a shovel that's ready made,
She proudly struts around to show,
Giving a Frosty look - well played!
And then it's time to rock and roll,
The whole bod letting loose and free,
With all her heart and mind and soul.
Ah - how refreshing this does be!

In the snow how do rhinos play?
Rhino Kapuki shows the way.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ape Peers - LP Zoo

Chuckie the chimp does like the snow.
Gorilla Nayembi does too.
And each of them put on a show
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Their habitats are close enough
That each can see the other one,
Showing off doing snow gob stuff,
And both having a gob of fun.
Too cold for either to go out,
And so the keepers do bring in
A pile of snow, and there's no doubt,
Both girls do share a snowy grin.

When snow appears on the landscape,
Both chimps and gorillas go ape.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sisters Compete '18 - LP Zoo

The lioness sisters chill out,
A lyin' in the snow they do.
That's what winter is all about
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
One sister dares the other one
To jump from one rock to the next.
To watch guests' faces would be fun.
Humans so often look perplexed.
And so one sister takes the dare,
Like an Olympic skier does,
With snow flying, leap through the air.
The human guests are all abuzz.

It matters not the snow and cold,
The lionesses go for gold.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Nail Biter - LP Zoo

This chimp has lots of stress I do.
So often in the public eye,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
So popular - I don't know why.
People flock to me ev'ry day.
There is a never ending flow,
Watching me on public display,
Star of my reality show.
I know I do important work,
Ambassador for chimps I be,
A usefulness I will not shirk,
But still sometimes it stresses me.

When I am stressed it never fails,
I find myself biting my nails.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hearts for Seals '18 - LP Zoo

The seals see something up above,
Out of water upon a rock.
From the keepers a gift of love,
For a while all the seals just gawk.
Heart shaped gelatin colored red,
Ah, what a special valentine
For all the seals to be love fed
In such a creative design.
And soon the seals so make their way
To the treats, and each do ingest,
Celebrating Valentine's Day,
Full of gusto in sealful zest.

Sealed with love at Lincoln Park Zoo,
Party hearty, all the seals do.