Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Making a List - LP Zoo

I'm getting my gift wish list down
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
This rhino's been a good boy - true!
My list of course includes a bunch
Of favorites I like to eat.
Maybe Santa can stay for lunch.
Now there's a guy I'd like to meet.
But Santa will come late at night.
He is so busy Christmas Eve,
So many children to delight.
It is important to believe.

On Christmas Day I'll eat a gob,
And know that Santa did his job.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Dracula Ants

Dracula ants do get their name
Because sometimes they drink the blood
Of their own young - sucks claim to fame!
Their kids must book in fleeing flood.
And these blood suckers also can
Snap their jaws together so fast,
5000 strikes in just the span
A human blink of eye is cast.
The Dracula ants like to hide
Under a leaf and wait for prey,
Like a centipede crawls beside,
And then those jaws do snap away.

If centipede blood does not do,
Then hey kids I'm looking for you.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Asian Longhorned Tick

New visitor to the U.S.
The Asian longhorned tick has come,
Spreading fast from east to west, yes!
Known to spread disease where it's from.
The first new tick in 50 years.
Reddish round body and legs eight,
Like other ticks this one appears,
And has mouth parts that latch on great,
A very adaptable tick.
And note the female tick alone
Does not need a male mate to pick,
But a new herself she can clone.

When this tick's in the neighborhood,
No doubt the outcome won't be good.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Laverne

Penny Marshall, "Laverne" has died.
"Laverne & Shirley" - T.V. hit
In the late '70s did ride
To ratings number one was it.
The two young gals in Milwaukee,
Laverne wore sweaters with an "L,"
Bottle cappers in a brew'ry,
They entertained the viewers well,
With funny shenanigans that
Could air on a family show,
Laverne a nasal acrobat,
She and Shirley were all gung ho.

Sadly, Shirley said of her pal,
"Laverne was one 'L' of a gal."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Bird Word Heard

Rocco, the parrot, home alone,
With hi tech he does like to talk.
Alexa turns on from his tone,
And Rocco's on the shopping clock,
Buying food stuffs he likes to eat -
Melons, raisins and ice cream,
Plus non edibles - a kite treat.
It is a talking parrot's dream.
Alexa talks back and does play
Rocco's favorite songs while he
Is using lone time through the day,
Merrily on his shopping spree.

Humans indulge using hi tech,
Why not a parrot - what the heck!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Paws to Imprint - LP Zoo

Snow on the ground, so what to do.
This snow leopard does have no doubt,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Let my paws get out and about,
And leave the message in the snow
That I have been right in this spot,
But then did feel the urge to go.
The snow gives me away a lot.
And then I hide behind a rock,
And see the visitors come see
All of my paw prints and all talk
Of where can the snow leopard be!

The prints of paws having been found,
I pause, while humans look around.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Madison and Miguel

The California Camp Fire burned,
Destroying lives and property.
Mistress of dogs, Andrea, yearned
That her Madison and Miguel be
Somehow alive and returned to her.
The blond shepherd brothers had not
Been with Andrea when for sure
She had to flee the fiery hot.
Miguel was found some miles away.
His scent was left at the home site.
And Madison came home one day.
All that was wrong, something was right.

Though the home was burned down and gone,
Both of the dogs still guarded on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bill W's Last Drink

December 11th the day,
And 1934 the year,
Bill W. did drink, hurrah,
His last of liquor, wine and beer,
Took his last drink of alcohol.
In a hospital drying out
He was inspired by higher call,
And afterwards he went about
Working with alcoholics to
Take steps to real sobriety,
A better way of living, true,
A program of recovery.

Alcoholics Anonymous,
Salvation for many of us.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Personal Santa

Matthew, age 6, came to the store.
Blind and autistic, his wish be
To meet Santa Claus, he hoped for.
And Santa got down on his knee,
Talking a long time with Matthew,
Letting him pull beard and feel  hat,
And touch the eyes that "twinkle" do
From "The Night Before Christmas" that
Matthew had heard read to him, and
Now the words could become so real,
By letting Matthew understand
Santa Claus because he could feel.

The Santa Claus magic and joy
Was truly felt by one young boy.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimps Relocate - LP Zoo

We chimps move into a new place
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
From where we were to next door space.
We chimps check out anything new.
At first we were a bit unsure,
And hug each other in a line,
A ways and means to reassure
That we were really in fact fine.
In a few minutes we each went
Through the habitat, in and out,
An exploration event.
Change takes time to adjust, no doubt.

We chimps are champs with come and go,
Cuz we are troopers, doncha know!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wind on Mars

December 1st, twenty eighteen
NASA's InSight lander did hear
Sounds coming from the on Mars scene,
Sounds of the wind coming through clear.
The spacecraft's sensors did record
The rumblings of the blowing wind,
Fifteen miles per hours it roared.
The recording InSight did send
For analysis back to Earth,
To hear first time a Martian sound,
Making the mission of more worth,
As new discoveries be found.

Any Earthling can go online
And hear the Mars wind blow just fine.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Forced Unfaithful

California mice mate for life.
What did human researchers do?
Split up a couple causing strife,
Put each with other partners new.
After a while again the pair
Was reunited to study
What communication was there?
How upset would the couple be?
Eavesdropping was in ultrasound.
Yes, both mice had a lot to say,
Barked high pitched arguments around,
Accusing each of cheating way.

But the couple made up at last.
The human caused cheating was past.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ichthyosaur

"Fish lizard" - the ichthyosaur
Lived in the water long ago,
Two hundred million years or more.
It was the dolphin we now know.
Came from lunged reptiles on the land,
And over time became like fish.
But had ten fingers on each hand,
Keeping the trait to be grabbish.
And they did have the largest eyes
Of all vertebrates then around,
Could be long as a house in size.
Lots of fossils of them are found.

Researchers check the remains out.
What was this fish lizard about?

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Song Unsung

The song, "Baby, it's cold outside,"
Written in 1944
From a husband to his sweet bride,
Motives of innocence galore.
Fast forward to 2018 -
Charge of sexual harassment.
Innocent words are twisted mean.
Message of lust and rape is sent,
In this the new age of Me Too
Such lyrics cannot be condoned.
Shut up is what all men must do,
Only silent knight be entoned.

If you're a man and sing a song,
Odds are now that you will be wrong.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Gravel Grind

The platypus does not have teeth,
And feeds on worms, shellfish and snails
Found on the river bottom 'neath.
So what about chewing details?
Well, this is where pouches do aid,
A pouch in each platypus cheek.
Each trip to river bottom made,
Gravel the platypus does seek,
And scoops some up with the food too.
Back at the surface the food stash
Stored in the cheeks, but how to chew?
Well, the gravel therein does mash.

Gravel is a great blender for
Easing of the swallowing chore.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Bush Family Reunion

George H. W. Bush has died.
He is knocking at heaven's door.
Wife and daughter do wait with pride.
Both had come to heaven before.
Daughter Robin died long ago,
Dying of cancer at age three.
Wife Barbara, eight months or so,
Left her beloved George to be
In heaven with Robin to wait
For a short while when they would hear
George a knocking at heaven's gate,
Father, Mother and daughter dear.

The President waves from on high
Back to the world to say goodbye.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

New De Brazza Monkey '18 - LP Zoo

A De Brazza monkey born new
November 9th twenty eighteen,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
The baby boy comes on the scene.
Mom Rosie and Dad Myles be proud.
This is their first offspring to be,
As "oohs" and "aahs" come from the crowd,
Of visitors who come to see
A glimpse of the new cute face that
Is peering out from in Mom's fur,
And checking out the habitat,
And all those visitors for sure.

De Brazza monkeys sport a beard.
The baby's first hairs have appeared.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Mike Keeps Coming Back

Recovering alcoholic
Mike is in prayer on his knees.
A question suddenly does click,
So Mike asks God to tell him please,
That since in life AA's so good,
Is there AA is heaven too?
If yes, just knowing that sure would
Make Mike more serene that he knew.
Mike waited hopeful for reply.
Lo and behold light filled the room.
Conscious contact was in supply.
And then a great deep voice did boom,

"The good news - AA's in heaven all right."
"The bad new, Mike - you're speaking tonight."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Number 16

1974 there hatched
A trapdoor spider, humans chose
To study, and thus was dispatched,
The name Number 16 arose.
She, in an Australian reserve,
Built her burrow and there she stayed,
And so, quite easy to observe,
All the spider stuff she displayed -
How she did trap insects nearby,
And drag their bodies back into
Her burrow for her food supply,
Her life spent in her burrow - true!

In 2018 she did die,
Oldest know spider did apply.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

The Telling Tree

Alaska yellow cedar tree -
The canary in the coal mine?
Dying en masse these trees do be.
Is this a changing climate sign?
These trees have lived through all gone past,
Through life cycles of come and go.
Is this time meant a warning cast
Of fate to come that all will know!
The world is warming up this time.
Fossil fuel burning gets the blame,
As temperatures further do climb.
Most likely life won't stay the same.

This yellow cedar tree today.
What life dies out next - who can say?

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Sully's Mission

Sully served in a time of need,
Helping President 41.
Without his Barbara, indeed,
George needed help getting things done.
So Sully the golden Lab did
Come to George's aid and be there
For daily activities bid,
For George's last few months to share.
When George died and his body went
Into a casket, Sully knew,
And in those waiting hours spent
His time by George, duty to do.

Sully would be of service yet,
And go to help another Vet.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hannukkah

The Jewish holy Temple in
Jerusalem had been held by
The Greeks, so the Jews did begin
A hard fought rebellion to try
To take their holy Temple back,
And in one sixty four, B.C.
Jewish victory was on track.
Jerusalem and Temple be
Once again in Jewish control.
The Temple's candlelabra burned
Eight days to light the Jewish soul,
Celebrating victory yearned.

Hannukkah means dedication
To the light over darkness done.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Step Up

We give up - Steps 1,2 and 3,
Give up that selfish life of hell,
Give up to a greater H.P.
Steps 4, 5 and 6 serve us well.
With each we do Clean up, we do
With our character come clean.
Steps 7,8 and 9 come true
When we come on the Make up scene
And humbly try to right past wrong
Steps 10, 11 and 12 give
Us the guidance to Grow up strong
And find a better way to live.

Give up, Clean up, Make up, Grow up - hey
The AA 12 steps show us the way.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Journey to the Bottom

Born on a mountaintop in wild Wyoming.
Alcoholic Doc dropped me on my butt.
Had a good family upbringing,
But most folks thought me one weird nut.
I was sober for 17 years,
Then went to the university.
Majored in assorted liquors and beers,
Graduated with an alcoholic degree.
Next 20 years I drank and I drugged.
Life revolved 'round getting drunk, getting high.
While I guzzled, snorted, smoked and chugged,
I was living dead as life passed me by.

1990 - no more hell could I take.
Hit bottom, when I jumped into the lake.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Cat's Got the Tongue

All cats do love to groom, they do.
The tongue of the cat is made for
Using specially to comb through
The fur the cat does have galore.
Tiny spines cover the cat tongue,
Curved toward the throat and hollow tipped,
That the cat learns when very young,
The tongue as comb is well equipped.
Lots of saliva is transferred
From the spines right down to the skin,
For good cleansing to be assured,
Till the cat repeats it again.

While acting as a cleaning tool,
The tongue helps the cat to stay cool.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mirror, Mirror... - LP Zoo

Another snow leopard I see!
When first I looked into the mirror.
But then I realized - tiz me!
I'm the only snow leopard here.
And so I do gaze on, I do.
Taza, I am one handsome dude
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
And at the mirror I just stay glued.
It is so hard to look away.
I blink my eyes and twitch my ears.
I check my whiskers on display.
And then my grooming tongue appears.

Each hair and whisker now in place,
There is no doubt - a perfect face.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Landing

We saw the strange thing in the sky,
Streaking across in fiery fall.
Then down it came, landing nearby.
We feared it brought the end for all.
Those of us on the surface sent
Communication down below,
Telling of this strange thing's descent.
What should we do? We did not know.
Communication did come back.
We should not approach this strange thing.
We should retreat, leaving no track,
Safety underground be seeking.

Earth celebrated far away,
A successful Mars landing day.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Careless Spread

The tribe for 60,000 years
Has lived on an island alone,
Then a missionary appears,
Landing in this forbidden zone.
He says he comes to spread the word
Of God to those heathens at last.
Despite warnings he's not deterred,
On his mission he is steadfast.
Of course he also spreads disease.
The tribe has no immunity.
So why would such carelessness please
God whose children this tribe does be!

Through deadly bows and arrows be sent
The word - missionary repent.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sneaky Queen

Polyergus ants also known
As kidnapper ants are quite sly,
With subterfuge skills they do hone
To trick other ants to comply.
A target ant colony's found,
And then the kidnapper ant queen
Does become undercover bound,
Infiltrating the target scene,
Killing the target ant queen, and
Bathing in the dead queen's royal scent,
In essence a trick that is planned
As a royal takeover event.

Doubling the power she did seize,
The queen combines both colonies.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Homebodies

Wild Komodo dragons just live
In Indonesian islands few,
With no inclination to give
Other places a chance to view.
Though able to swim very well,
Their going on an ocean cruise -
Not on their bucket list - do tell.
Being home bound, they do not lose.
These humans sized lizards could go
Just about anywhere they chose.
Why they do not, we do not know.
The Komodo dragon just knows.

Komodo dragons do not roam.
They do prefer to stay at home.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Toxic '18

The Oxford Dictionary pick
As chosen word of the year for
Two thousand eighteen is "toxic,"
Both spoken and written galore.
Toxic as an adjective is
Defined as poisonous and showed
Up in a lot of nasty biz
With fatal endings to forbode.
Toxic weapons assassinate,
A Russian umbrella in fact.
Toxic waste dumps sealing the fate
Of those unlucky to contract.

And of course thrown into the mix -
All of the toxic politics.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Happy Thanksgiving '18 - LP Zoo

We Diana monkeys do wish
A Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Shared thanks is Lincoln Park Zooish,
And we are proud to give the call.
Open ev'ry day of the year
For visitors to come for free.
Some come from far, some come from near,
And all are welcome here to be
A part of sharing time and place,
Connecting with nature and find
So many wonders face to face,
With memories to ever bind.

We Diana monkeys invite
You to visit and share delight.