Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Etana and Finely Turn 22 - LP Zoo

Could be a mother and her son,
The two giraffes together be,
Sharing the moment one on one,
Old Etana and young Finely.
But just good friends are the duo,
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Tiz Happy Birthday, doncha know!
Etanta - twenty, Finely - two.
A double celebration plan,
Tall order for keepers to keep.
But there is no doubt that they can.
All will party hearty aheap.

Etana and Finely, we say
A giraffic Happy Birthday.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Grave Encounter

It's late at night and I decide
To take a short cut walking through
The cemetery in quick stride.
I hear a tapping sound, I do.
Through the misty shadows I see
With some tools by a headstone,
It's an old guy a tapping be,
Night shift worker - I should have known.
A hammer and chisel he's got,
Fixing the headstone in some way.
Then turning, the old guy does spot
Me - I wonder what I should say.

Out of the old guy these words came,
"Those idiots misspelled my name!"

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

See Me - LP Zoo

I stand out in my stripes, I do.
In black and white this zebra is
Dressed up fine in Lincoln Park Zoo
For visitors to mind my biz.
I never tire of my attire
To show off proud for one and all.
Ah, my appearance does inspire.
How many, I just can't recall.
But ev'ry day the lines are long,
Viewing the lines lined out on me,
My visuals so very strong,
At times viewed hypnotically.

Whenever I am on display,
So hard for eyes to turn away.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Keep on My Two Toes - LP Zoo

I hear the keepers calling me.
They do look for me, yes they do,
Calling, "Where are you, Luigi?"
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
Of course they'll find me hanging out
In a hammock a way up high,
A favorite hang out, no doubt,
For this chilling two toed sloth guy.
Munching on a celery stick,
In deep pondering this and that,
I hear the keepers coming quick,
Making sounds in the habitat.

I let the keepers have their way,
Cuz hide and seek they love to pray.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sun of Sea Slug

I am a sea slug and I be
Photosynthetic like a plant.
I do this by eating algae,
And then I can instead of can't
Harvest energy from the sun,
Stealing the algae way and mean
To get photosynthesis done.
Color me leafy looking green.
This means I don't have to eat much,
Just hang out in the sun and bask.
The humans are amazed at such.
Being nosy they had to ask.

So the humans grabbed me one day.
So far I have nothing to say.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Last Time Together

The father carried his young son,
Followed close by the mother and
Their four daughters - journey begun
To a final destiny planned.
Led into a cellar below,
By captors who were duty bound,
The family stood in a row.
The guns were fired from all around.
July 16th, 1918,
The family together died.
It was a bloody gruesome scene,
A Lenin approved homicide.

'Twas the death of a dynasty,
The last Russian royal family.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chillin' - LP Zoo

I do get hot sometimes I do.
How does this gorilla chill out
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo?
There's one chiller outer no doubt -
A great big frozen chunk of stuff
That this gorilla likes as treat.
Fruit juice that's hard and cold enough
That it is a challenge to eat.
As I do break apart the ice,
All sorts of goodies found inside.
It is so refreshing and nice
That keepers keep coolness supplied.

A giant sized popsicle will
Help a hot gorilla to chill.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wholly Cow - LP Zoo

A Holstein dairy cow I be
On the Farm in Lincoln Park Zoo.
A big milk maker - that is me.
I am happy with what I do
The keepers keep me well cared for,
Plenty of hay and water so
I can make the milk galore.
I have a great job doncha know!
If you visit the Farm you can
Watch me make milk and feed me hay.
Now doesn't that sound like a plan!
And you can do it twice a day.

I keep an upbeat attitude.
I am always in a good mooed.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Notty Trump

Quoth - " I don't see why it would be"
"The Russians" doing the nasty hack
Quoth The Donald at Helsinki -
In D.C. had to take it back.
A misspeak was the Trump excuse.
After the "would" should have been"not."
Why not the Russian hack abuse?
That clarification Trump sought,
But added that anyone might
Have done the nasty hacking stuff.
The Donald still thinks he is right,
And can't stop tweeting that enough.

For Trump - to be or not to be.
Quoth The Donald, "Don't be for me."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

World Snake Day '18 - LP Zoo

It'ssss World Snake Day, twenty eighteen,
Time and place at Lincoln Park Zoo,
Conservation efforts are seen
To help endangered species - true!
One such specie - a rattlesnake,
The eastern massasauga kind,
Humans partner in steps to take
For safe relocation to find,
So that this rattlesnake might thrive
In an eco friendly domain,
Where it is safe and can survive.
Conserving can be nature's gain.

Good thoughts for snakes this World Snake Day.
Let's help conserve - hiss hiss hooray!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Summer Nesting - LP Zoo

Visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo,
The black crowned night herons fly here
To do the summer time they do,
Migrating from far ev'ry year.
Above the red wolves and black bears
They build their nests in all the trees.
There are hundreds of heron pairs
With eggs for future families.
Each parent cares for each hatchling,
From mouth to mouth feeding their young.
Throughout the summer, herons sing,
Leaving in fall, last songs be sung.

Thousands of miles the herons roam,
For a few months the Zoo is home.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Picky Eaters - LP Zoo

African penguins, picky be
About the kind of fish each eat,
And the size of fish exactly,
So feeding can be quite a feat.
An average of a pound a day
Of fish each penguin does consume.
Each fish goes down the throat way,
Helped by throat barbs like a whisk broom.
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo,
The keepers keep a lot in mind,
For picky, picking fish they do
Satisfy all of penguinkind.

Come and observe the penguins feed.
It's all quite a pick-nic indeed!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

World Chimpanzee Day '18

First ever World Chimpanzee Day,
July 14th, twenty eighteen,
A time for a chimp chimp hooray,
Being put on the world stage scene.
The night before this chimp does plan
To get a really good night's rest,
So on the special day I can
Show the world all my very best.
At home  in the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Human visitors visit me.
As an ambassador I do
Help to make a connection be.

World Chimpanzee Day, time and place,
Let's get together face to face.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Lloyd - LP Zoo

I do be newest, yes I do,
Newest Francois' langur that be
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
A ball of orange, that would be me.
Born a couple of months ago,
For a few months I have orange fur.
I guess so the fam'ly will know
Exactly where I'm at for sure.
But then my fur will turn to black,
Like the rest of fam'ly of mine.
But till then I swing forth and back,
Brightly lit up, this monkey shine.

Want a way to be overjoyed?
Come to the Zoo and ask for Lloyd.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

R.I.P. - T.R.U.

Toys R Us with a backward "R,"
The toy store with the kids in mind
For decades was a bizness star,
Fulfilling joys of kiddykind.
One store start in '57,
Then grew into a world wide chain,
"I'm a Toys R Us kid" heaven,
With a stand out long profit reign.
But Toys R Us came to an end.
Nothing lasts forever in biz.
Change is ever the surest trend,
And what once was no longer is.

Geoffrey the giraffe forced to roam
Jobless looking for a new home.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Focus - LP Zoo

I do a slow go, yes I do.
But often I am on the move
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
And I like to stay in the groove.
I have a favorite branch that
I like to curl on for a snooze.
It's way high in the habitat,
So I plan out the route to choose,
To move from point A to point B.
Then to that branch I start to go,
Moving slowly but steadily.
I'm sure I'll get there, doncha know!

I make my move from head to hind,
Once this sloth does make up my mind.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ear Alert - LP Zoo

I do like taking naps, I do.
A fav'rite for this fennec fox
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Passing time as my clock tick tocks.
I get all curled up snug and tight.
A perfect pillow is my tail,
And into dreamland I take flight
Into blissfulness without fail.
Of course alert remain my ears,
To waken me when be sound,
And to my senses it appears
Perhaps I better look around.

Sometimes it's visitors who make
Some noise that causes me to wake.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

When Ma Bell Rang

Some of us do remember when
The telephone took center stage,
Required for a household within
To be able to out engage.
A monopoly was Ma Bell.
She loaned each telephone to use,
No dif'rence 'twixt and 'tween to tell -
Just one black dial model to choose.
Dial "O" for operator, and
A human would help to connect.
Verbal connection was the brand,
Even for those who called collect.

Now communication connects
Are not by talking but by text.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Two's Day - LP Zoo

The two check out the day, they do,
African penguins, he and she
At home in the Lincoln Park Zoo,
A mated couple, the pair be.
"Well my dear," he does say to her,
"How about we go for a swim?"
"The water looks real nice for sure."
"You lead the way," she says to him.
Flipper in flipper, they both go
Web footed awaddling away
To the pool where the waters flow.
Both be ready to start their day.

Both of these penguins do no doubt
Enjoy what life is all about.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Changing Diet

The koalas do only eat
The leaves from the eucalyptus tree,
Which really is an awesome feat,
Cuz quite toxic these leaves do be.
Researchers have researched the why,
And found koalas have evolved
So that they can detoxify
Eucalyptus leaves - problem solved!
But in Australia these trees do
Be getting cut down more and more.
Koalas have less leaves to chew.
Is this end what they evolved for?

In time koalas may be gone -
No eucalyptus to chew on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Red, White and Blue - LP Zoo

Fourth of July, twenty eighteen,
Going on in Lincoln Park Zoo,
With celebrations on the scene,
Showing off the red, white and blue.
The blue crowned laughing thrush does sing.
The red kangaroo hops about.
The white cheeked gibbon gives a swing.
All wish a Happy Fourth, no doubt!
Visitors come from far and near,
In time and place where all can be,
A welcome part of the good cheer,
Home of the brave, land of the free.

The Zoo does celebrate this day.
A Happy Birthday, U.S.A.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Corn Sweat

What does an acre of corn do?
The corn sweats lots of H2O,
Four thousand gallons of it - true!
In just one day, and now you know.
The corn draws water from the ground
For the plant photosynthesis.
From leaves, the water is air bound,
Evapotranspiration - this.
The more the moisture in the air,
The more humid is a good bet.
The reason it's more humid there -
Above the corn is the corn sweat.

If you don't like humidity,
In a corn field you should not be.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

What a Deal!

Crossing o'er into the U.S.,
Don't turn them back, don't let them go.
What to do is anyone's guess.
They must stay put until we know.
Illegal immigrants or not,
Children must stay with parents, and
Good optics for stay must be sought.
Hotel like structures need be planned,
And be built very quickly, thus
The costs for such will be quite high,
And will be on taxpayers - us.
A plan will come from the chief guy.

Of course Trump has a plan to sell -
Put all up in a Trump hotel.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Joins the Cast - LP Zoo

'18 "All My Penguins" season
Opened with an episode new.
New hatched Oliver the reason
For show time at Lincoln Park Zoo.
Fresh from the egg, the young star's seen
Growing and going with the flow,
Learning penguin stuff 'twixt and 'tween
Putting on a very cute show.
Proud are the parents, Mom and Dad,
Watching little Oliver be
Such a bundle of joy to add
An awesome sight for all to see.

On days of our lives we can
See Oliver - sounds like a plan!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Coolsome - LP Zoo

How does a snow monkey stay cool
In Chicago's hot summertime?
How about a dip in the pool? -
Ah, refreshing in a hot clime.
The young snow monkeys lead the way,
As older snow monkeys look on,
A generational display,
Young vs. old phenomenon.
Out of the water the young come,
As wet as a monkey can be.
Certainly just the choice of some
To be a wet, cool snow monkey.

Young or old - you can be cool too.
Come and visit Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Umande Monday - LP Zoo

This gorilla does wish for all
A good Umande Monday to
Humans who have heeded the call
To visit the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Humans seem to think of Monday
As having to get back to work.
Come to the Zoo and you can play
With me - how 'bout that for a perk!
We'll play a game of hide and seek.
I'll look for you, you'll look for me.
At each other we'll get a peek.
Oh what a fun time it will be.

Umande Monday - it's a date.
I'll be waiting, so don't be late.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Monkey Carve - LP Zoo

This pied tamarin monkey is
Doing a sales pitch, yes I do
Promote the Great Pumpkin glow biz
Coming to the Lincoln Park Zoo.
An Adults Night Out coming in
October, so buy tickets now
To be assured you'll get in then
For such a great party time - wow!
Of course there'll be pumpkins galore,
Each of them acarved and aglow.
Food and drink and music and more,
Adults - you should not miss this show.

Come over and visit my place.
I'll show you my Great Pumpkin face.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

All View Oliver - LP Zoo

I am only a few months old,
But this African penguin chick
Smiles for the camera when told,
And getting used to lots of click.
I know I'm in the public eye,
Watching me grow up day by day.
Yes, I am a popular guy,
Getting used to public display.
Of course I want to look my best.
I like the close ups, yes I do,
Putting in place each pose with zest,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

A photo op not to be missed,
I'm doing the Oliver twist.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Jacqueline Cochran

Jackie Cochran did love to fly.
She flew lots during World War II.
She flew as good as any guy,
In non combat missions to do.
Distinguished Service Medal, she
Received in 1945.
Post war she continued to be
A pilot while she was alive.
By 1980 she did hold
More speed records than anyone.
Known as the "Speed Queen" fast and bold,
She flew to first place in the sun.

Jackie was a flight pioneer,
Soaring into the atmosphere.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Koko

Koko was a gorilla who
Always did live with human care.
A lot of sign language she knew.
Her thoughts with humans she could share.
She signed that she would like a cat.
She signed a stuffed cat made her "sad."
And so into her habitat
Came a live kitten - she signed "glad."
Koko named the kitten All Ball,
And cared for him as an offspring.
His tragic death caused a deep pall
On Koko who was seen weeping.

Killed by a car All Ball was gone.
Koko was "sad' but carried on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Gone Camel Courting - LP Zoo

Alexander Camelton, I
Made a move from Lincoln Park Zoo
To a Zoo in Boston, but why?
I do be match made, yes I do.
Her name is Zowie, and she is
A lovely camel meant for me.
I'll get going on wooing biz,
Hoping for great Cupidity.
Of course I'll miss Chicago and
All my family and friends there.
I just hope you all understand,
I need a mate with whom to share.

I'm growing up in a good way.
My life is good - hump hump hooray!