Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Scent of Honey - LP Zoo

This American black bear knew
That there was honey close to me
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
The scent of honey there did be
A wafting strongly through the air
Coming from a building nearby,
Where there's a bee hive thought this bear,
Way up on the roof in the sky.
We bears have a great sense of smell,
Sniffing food stuff from far away.
My nosiness does know quite well
The sweet smell of honey bouquet.

A honey treat would be welcome.
Maybe the keepers will have some.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Burma on Hand - LP Zoo

A white cheeked gibbon Mom and mate,
Burma always has lots to do.
At thirty one she's doing great
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
She and Caruso o'er the years
Have raised several fine offspring.
And as each dawn and dusk appears,
The family does join to sing.
Sometimes Burma will take a break,
And sit upon the wood chip pile.
One or more of the chips she'll take
And toss them in a juggling style.

Burma's not bothered while in toss
Cuz after all, she is the boss.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tree Climbing Together - LP Zoo

Gorillas love to climb, they do.
The family does do a climb
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
It's a great way to pass the time.
The young and old, the girls and boys
Branch out and up above it all.
Truly the family enjoys
The hanging out together tall.
Of course there's kept a watchful eye
By the parents on their offspring,
As the young ones show off on high,
Each doing the gorilla thing.

It is an awesome sight to see,
This gorilla family tree.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hounding the Poachers

A pack of hounds is on the run
Chasing down rhino poachers fast.
Quite good at getting their job done,
As law dogs these hounds are well cast.
The hounds pick up the poacher's scent
And after the poacher they go.
Up a tree the poacher is sent
With the pack of hounds all gung ho.
Being chased by a pack of hounds
Is making the poachers think twice.
There is success is leaps and bounds.
More and more poachers pay the price.

The rhinos have good friends indeed
In packs of hounds that fill a need.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Piglet Niners - LP Zoo

Nine wee piggies make their debut,
All into checking this and that
At Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo,
Running around the habitat.
Momma seems happy they're all out.
She's been through this routine before
And is quite well prepared no doubt
For her new litter caring chore.
Upon a pile of straw the nine,
Three male and six female, do romp
In a pattern of swirling swine,
Oblivious to piglet pomp.

If nothing seen to ooh and aah,
Look for wiggling under the straw.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Right of Way

Make America right again.
We're required to drive on the right
When in a car on the road, then
Right walking need be required - quite!
When walking on the sidewalk, all
Need to pay close attention to
The proper walking protocol
That any walker needs to do.
Leftie walkers do pose a threat
To right walkers because there be
By chance when the walkers have met
A collision calamity.

Someone walking not the right way
Should be arrested I do say.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ap"parrot"ly LP Zoo

A Puerto Rican parrot, I
Have a bright plumage, yes I do,
And stand out as a handsome guy
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
I am about twelve inches tall
And weigh about twelve ounces, so
I'm not too big and not too small
As size and weight of parrots go.
Most of my feathers are rich green.
A patch on my forehead is red.
And dark blue feathers can be seen
When in flight my wings fully spread.

If you hear a very loud squawk,
It's my way of saying, "Let's talk."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Too Clever - LP Zoo

Being a clever chimp I do
A lot of clever this and that
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Here and there in the habitat.
A perfect apple I had found,
That the keepers had left for us,
An apple big and red and round.
This apple would be all mine, thus
I did sneak this apple outside,
And did seek out the perfect place
Where my perfect apple I'd hide.
As a hider I am an ace.

A perfect apple is out there,
If I could just remember where.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Watchfully - LP Zoo

I watch a bunch of kids of mine,
My daughters three and my sons two.
For this gorilla Dad all's fine
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
My kids all know where I am at,
And each one knows they're safe and sound
Wherever in the habitat,
Knowing that Dad is close around.
Watching five kids at the same time
I take very seriously.
A watchful Dad, I know that I'm
Being the best Dad I can be.

I am always a watchful Dad,
The best job that I ever had.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Bearing Loss - LP Zoo

Chicago Bears - I'm a fan true.
American black bear I be
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Think Chicago Bear - think of me.
The Packers are coming to town
For the season opener, so
There'll be excitement from first down
As two rivals put on a show.
During the game I fell asleep.
I took a time out for a spell.
My team did not score worth a "bleep."
The offense took a nap as well.

When I woke up I got a tweet.
Da Bears had gone down in defeat.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Platypus Mix

The platypus as beasts do be
Is a strange animal indeed,
Furry mammal classically,
And venomous for all to heed.
It does lay eggs to reproduce,
And like a duck does have a bill,
With webbed feet for moving use,
Beaver like tail to flip at will.
Its eyes are compared to hagfish.
So very varied all in all,
Looking a bit haphazardish
As to how all the parts did fall.

The platypus seems not to care
Of how or why that's there is there.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Kane - LP Zoo

Goat of La Mancha breed I be
Originally bred in Spain.
Now American bred is me,
Good greetings from this goat called Kane.
You may notice my ears quite small.
That's just the way we goats were bred.
I am quite able to hear all,
But tune out some stuff from my head.
I and my other goat mates do
Let humans brush us - what a deal!
At Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo,
Where I can be seen close for real.

When at the Zoo, stop by the Farm
And be brushed by my awesome charm.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Spray of Ungratitude

I stuck my head inside a cup,
Hoping to find some food inside.
And the cup stuck to me - what's up!
I ran in circles thinking I'd
Somehow get the cup off that way.
Then suddenly the cup was gone.
A human near came on display.
So scared and mad I got it on,
Spraying the human with full force,
Even though the human helped me,
Instinctive reaction of course,
That's just the way that I do be.

I know that my behavior stunk,
But that's expected from a skunk.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Lady Olivia Dumpling - LP Zoo

Lady Olivia Dumpling,
A pregnant sow who's ready to
Deliver a bunch of offspring
At the Farm in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Three months, three weeks and three days
Is the gestation period for
Sows who are in family ways,
An easy to remember score.
Before, the Lady's been a Mom,
And so she knows the birthing biz,
And through the wait she's very calm
Until the to be at last is.

Come visit Lady at the Farm.
Before and after she's all charm.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Rain Forest Afire

The Amazon rain forests burn.
Most of the fires are human made.
Small cattle ranchers seek to turn
The land to profitable trade,
Removing the unwanted trees
So as to allow the grass to grow
For the cattle, and guarantees
More bad news as bad gases flow.
Less trees, more carbon dioxide,
And more the cows, the more methane.
Both of these gases when allied
Cause worse global warming to gain.

As the rain forests cease to be
The more there looms catastrophe.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Vulture Awareness Day '19 - LP Zoo

Worldwide vulture awareness day,
September 7th, twenty nineteen.
I celebrate in my own way
Here on the Lincoln Park Zoo scene.
This cinerous vulture does show
My sharpened beak and piercing eye
So all who gaze at me will know
A vulture is prepared and why.
Dead carcasses that vultures see
Quite efficiently disappear.
Clean up agents we vultures be,
A very praiseworthy career.

Come visit me and be aware
Vultures are doing good out there.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Plasticless Period

Plastic pervades the modern life,
Including tampons and pads too,
Being used to ease menstrual strife.
A disposable means to do
Quickly and quietly the need
To soak up the period blood flow,
Which has been stigmatized indeed.
Into landfills the products go,
With lots of plastic also there.
Women do manage more and more
To find ways to show that they care,
Buying less plastic from the store.

Finding ways to use plastic less
During the period period - yes!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Kiden on Watch - LP Zoo

I am called Kiden and I do
Be an Allen's swamp monkey male
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
My kind from Africa do hail.
With the colobus monkeys, I
Do live in the Primate House and
All in all I am a shy guy,
But often I will sit or stand,
Watching the young colobus play,
As they go bouncing through the air.
I try to keep out of their way,
So from a distance I do stare.

Never a boring habitat -
Would Kiden be kiddin' 'bout that!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bungee Brouhaha - LP Zoo

We hear the keepers call, we do,
"Tozaz, Mikumi - treat time,"
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
News that we painted dogs deem prime.
Installed in our habitat
To be used in an "as if" way,
A bungee cord contraption that
Can swing across real carcass prey.
So when we note the keepers there,
We know we get to stalk as though
We were out in the wild somewhere.
So on the hunt we both do go.

It is a once in a while thing,
A special treat for some hunting.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

On the Hor"Rae"zon - LP Zoo

Let me introduce myself to
You, I am the giraffe called Rae,
Coming soon to Lincoln Park Zoo.
I am excited, I must say.
This two year old gal wants to be
A part of the awesomeness of
The Lincoln Park Zoo family,
A time and place I know I'll love.
I will arrive sometime this fall,
Coming from Rocky Mountain high.
So what if I am not as tall,
I'll still be up there in the sky.

Coming 'cross the Great Plains no doubt,
I most likely will sure stick out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Praising Slow - LP Zoo

This is Aysan, the sloth, and do
Wish ev'rybody a slow day
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Take it slow as is the sloth way.
It's just good to slow down a bit,
No need to hurry all the time.
Go slow can be a benefit
To makes life's long and unsure climb.
Wherever in my habitat
I decide that I want to go,
I make the journey, knowing that
The going will be good and slow.

Go slow  through life and you can be
A slow go champion just like me.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Ice Ivory

The woolly mammoth long ago
Went extinct but bodies do be
Found preserved under ice and snow,
Including tusks of ivory.
And so such ivory is sold
Unregulated under rules,
And some buyers are being told
Some mammoth lies and hope it fools.
Sold elephant ivory is
Being called mammoth as the source,
Thus spurring on the poaching biz,
More threats to elephants of course.

Let woolly mammoths rest in peace.
"Ice" ivory sales need to cease.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Rebounding - LP Zoo

A Jamaican iguana, I
Have come to the Lincoln Park Zoo
To be living proof as to why
Conservation is great to do.
Very endangered be my kind.
Recovery is underway.
From the numbers greatly declined,
We are increasing day by day,
Getting a new head start like here.
And hopefully more can go home,
Go back to Jamaica where we're
Again able to safely roam.

A female will be joining me.
Stay tuned for happenings to be.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Skeleton Lake

High in the Himalayas be
The Roopkund Lake which became known
As Skeleton Lake -  mystery,
Filled with thousands of human bone.
From dif'rent times the bones do date,
But all from centuries ago.
The best guess of a common fate -
All killed by a heavenly blow.
Traveling by the mountain lake,
Humans were caught while on the trail,
With nothing there for shelter's sake,
And were struck down by pounding hail.

Travelers near should keep an eye
On whether weather's in the sky.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mr. Crested Wood Partridge - LP Zoo

A crested wood partridge, I do
Live in the Bird House in Free Flight
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
As he bird I'm an awesome sight,
Showing off a crest of bright red,
That as I strut, flutters about,
A flashy spray atop my head,
An attention getter, no doubt.
Multi colored the rest of me,
A blueish, purplish. greenish flair
The feathers on my body be.
Yes, a designer's dream I wear.

As birds of dazzlement do go,
I do dazzle from head to toe.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Iguana Wanna Salad - LP Zoo

Give me something on which to chew.
This Jamaican iguana's got,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
An appetite to eat a lot.
Ah yes, my keepers have set out
A luscious huge salad made of
Fresh fruits and veggies, all no doubt,
The chewables that I do love.
A smorgasbord of munch delight
I plow into like a buzz saw,
Savoring each and ev'ry bite,
Till eaten up -  a lizard law!

Visitors are watching out there.
Sorry, but I'm not one to share.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Color Me Redder - LP Zoo

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
The macaque snow monkeys do be
Showing off in their red faced hue
For mating season, "Check out me."
The redder the face the more intent
To find the partner that's just right
And will be best to compliment
Union of ultimate delight.
A ritual done ev'ry year
When it is mating time and place,
And making matches do appear,
And come together face to face.

Snow monkeys pairing up steady.
Mating time - macaques are reddy!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Rocking Jumping Triumph - LP Zoo

I am Triumph, klipspringer, who
Does love to jump from rock to rock,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
While all my visitors do gawk..
Klipspringer means rock jumper in
Afrikaan lingo and so I
Live up to the name of my kin,
As over the rocks I do fly.
And as a Mom I teach my young
The fine art of rock jumping that
They too may spring as I have sprung
Throughout the rocky habitat.

Come visit the Zoo and see me
Jumping the rocks "Triumph"antly.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wake Up Call - LP Zoo

I an Paatsy, the aardvark, who
Spends most of my daytime asleep
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
But I have promises to keep,
And oft will wake during the day,
And venture forth to say, "Hello,"
To visitors who come my way,
Then back to nap time I do go.
Humans aren't nocturnal like me,
And so I go that extra mile
For some daytime wake up to be
Hanging out with humans awhile.

I'm a day sleeper after all
And often need a wake up call.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Going Bananas

Bananas are under attack
By a fungus that's spreading fast.
Current banana plants do lack
Defenses and do not long last.
So far a fungicide has not
Been found that can eradicate
This fungus, though there's being sought
A cure before it is too late.
A brand new banana plant may
Be the only way that there will
Be bananas in future day.
Who knows how long the wait until.

Banana eaters do beware,
Soon a banana may be rare.