Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Santa Visits Rae '19 - LP Zoo

The young girl Rae is looking to
See if Santa Claus can be seen
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
The two year old looks 'twist and 'tween
The high and low and all around.
But no Santa does come her way,
And soon young Rae is slumber bound.
Then on the roof does land the sleigh,
And Santa brings his gift bag down,
And gives to Rae her special gift,
His first stop in Chicago town.
Then off the roof the sleigh does lift.

"Ho Ho Ho," she does hear him laugh,
And Santa waves to the giraffe.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Fight Flies with Flies

A lot of female flies do lay
Their eggs in animals and plants.
The new hatched flies then eat away,
Causing host harm in great expanse.
So humans in a planned defense
To fight this fly parasite peril
Breed these flies in programs intense,
And zap the flies to make them sterile.
The sterile flies then fly and mate
With non sterile flies out and about.
Of course egg laying does abate.
There are less parasites no doubt.

Billions let loose into the skies
With goal of fighting flies with flies.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pink on White - LP Zoo

Flamboyance of flamingos be
What a bunch of us birds be named.
We all come from chilly Chile
So are just fine when winter's aimed.
Our perky pinkish plumes do
Stand out when we stand out in snow
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Ah, we do enjoy this place so,
No matter what the season is.
In winter, summer, fall and spring
We are out doing big bird biz,
Colored cool in flamingoing.

Do stroll on over our way
And we will brighten up your day.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Kapuki Knows Snow - LP Zoo

I do love the snow, yes I do,
And come outside to romp around
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
In all the white stuff on the ground.
My Romeo was born last May,
And so my young rhino has not
Had much chance to come out and play
In the snow which I like a lot.
When the first snow did come this fall,
Outside I was the first to go,
And tried to give a beck and call,
But could not coax out Romeo.

There's lots more snow coming, no doubt,
I'll keep coaxing Romeo out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Pup Up - LP Zoo

Is it a bird, is it a plane?
I like to watch the sky, I do,
What's flying over my domain
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
I look up and I wonder why
I can't go high up in the air.
I bet it's fun up in the sky.
I sure do wish I could be there.
I asked Mom and Dad how to be
Able to go up skyward bound.
But they just shake their heads at me.
I guess I'm stuck here on the ground.

When you see this young red wolf pup,
Lots of times I'll be looking up.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Siku on Scene - LP Zoo

Start of a new day for Siku,
The polar bear emerges from
His den at the Lincoln Park Zoo,
Bearing to guests a big welcome.
Siku stands on a ledge aware
Of people on the pathway that
Come to visit this polar bear,
Holding court from his habitat.
This giant all in furry white
Turning ten years old recently,
Always a fav'rite guest delight
At any time for guests to see.

Plan your visit and make your way
To see Siku - how 'bout today!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

From Stanley's View - LP Zoo

Stanley, the snowy owl, peeks through
The trees and bushes to check out,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
What all is happening about,
The ev'ry little this and that
Of movement catching Stanley's eye
As he surveys his habitat.
He's really an observant guy.
Stanley sits in wait and see groove
Until there's reason he does see
That warrants him making a move
To another locality.

If you visit, Stanley will know,
Watching you closely come and go.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

All Smooth and Green - LP Zoo

As a smoothie greenie I do
Be a smooth green snake that is seen
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Snaking artfully 'twixt and 'tween
The barks and leaves of the trees that
Give me good places to await
Whatever in my habitat,
Using my senses that are great
To see and smell and feel what is
About to be coming my way,
So that I can do my snake biz,
Hoping of course for tasty prey.

Inside the Children's Zoo is where
I be - hope to soon sense you there.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Coat of Scooter - LP Zoo

This is Scooter scooting to do
A check out of my winter coat
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
I grew this coat myself, please note,
Which this camel does ev'ry fall
To prepare for the cold to come,
Looking like a humped furry ball
That is well insulated from
All that Chicago winter's blow.
It is a yearly fur sure thing
To be ready for ice and snow,
Then I will shed my coat next spring.

My coat I'm happy to display
Even on winter's coldest day.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Good Boy, Luigi - LP Zoo

I am Luigi hanging out
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Watching the people all about,
Taking in Zoo Lights, yes all do.
Very near to my habitat
Is where Santa Claus can be found.
I'm behaving myself so that
My holiday gifts will abound.
While up in my tree I did climb,
Santa did come to visit me.
It was such a wonderful time
That on Santa's list I would be.

And Santa told me to my joy,
I've been a very good sloth boy.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tongue Twirling - LP Zoo

I am a Rae of sunshine who
Is a giraffe still very young
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Often sticking out my long tongue
To check out nooks and crannies that
Hopefully do hold tasty stuff
Here and there in my habitat.
I can't get the goodies enough
Because I am a growing girl,
Taller and bigger ev'ry day.
And so my tongue is on fast twirl,
Often twirling in full display.

If my tongue you at first don't see,
Wait a second and there twirl be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ovid

Ovid was a poet in Rome
When B.C. time turned to A.D.
The eternal city as home
Was where Ovid did love to be.
Ovid's poetry was of love,
Scandalous poems of mortals who
Dallied even with gods above.
Something Ovid did say or do
Caused the Emperor Augustus
To ban Ovid forever from
His beloved city of Rome, thus
Exactly why's still puzzlesome.

What was the real reason or rhyme
Exiling Ovid for all time?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Silver Backed Chevrotain

Lost for decades, one has been found,
A silver backed chevrotain be
Seen on Vietnam forest ground
Reporting researchers with glee.
The smallest ungulate, the size
Of a rabbit but more like deer,
But no horns or antlers do rise,
Instead tusk like teeth do appear.
Excitement is the silver rump
Which is a science "golden fleece,"
Giving this find a special bump
For focused research to increase.

A lost then found species for us
Should always be deemed a sure plus.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Terning Older - LP Zoo

Young Inca terns do fly about.
They do "mustaches" now, they do,
Sign of maturity, no doubt,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Such mustache look a likes do be
Tufts of white feathers on each side
Of the bird beaks for all to see,
As a for sure growing up pride.
In the Bird House space of Free Flight
These growing youngsters fly to show
Off their new growths as they alight
Right next to you as through you go.

And in the next few months ahead
Their beaks and feet will turn bright red.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ready Fur Sure - LP Zoo

This macaque snow monkey's fine
With the Chicago ice and snow.
My bright red face is all ashine.
I do love the cold winter so.
In preparation for this time
I have grown a thicker fur coat
That keeps me warm as I do climb
Through chilly air on which I dote.
I'm all wrapped up in thick brown fur
Which for me is assurance that
I have  no problem with the brr
That's on my outside habitat.

So do put on your coat and do
Visit me at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Bruno, R.I.P. - LP Zoo

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
We bid Bruno a sad farewell,
The Cinereous vulture who
For his thirty two years did dwell
A regal big bird standing out
Majestic through so many years,
Making good memories no doubt,
Spreading his wings to welcome cheers.
Bruno was here in time and place
For millions of guests to enjoy,
A close encounter face to face.
We're gonna miss old Bruno boy.

Thank you Bruno for all you were.
You were the best and that's for sure.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Thanksgiving '19 - LP Zoo

It is a Thanksgiving feast that
Is worthy of dwarf mongoose cheer
By us all in the habitat,
As raw ribs are being served here.
Each mongoose takes his and her turn
To chew apart the meat from bone,
An entire colony concern,
These dwarf pilgrims in chow down zone.
Each dwarf mongoose is thankful for
The chance to get a tasty share.
And some do sneak in for some more,
Knowing rib meat is hard to spare.

A Happy Thanksgiving to you
From us here at Lincoln Park Zoo

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Car Alone

A puppy dog was left alone
In a running car to stay cool,
And parked in a no parking zone.
The owner had broken the rule
To make a quick trip in a store.
The puppy pushed in drive the car
And it took little time before
There was a result quite bizarre,
As through the store window did go
The car with pup in driver's seat.
The owner was right there and so
The car stopped at the owner's feet.

The puppy was happy to see
The owner, not quite so happy.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Locked In, Lucked Out

I came upon two locked up deer.
Two rutting bucks had managed to
Lock their antlers it did appear.
I thought of something I could do,
And took a hand saw from my truck.
Both bucks did deem exhausted from
The ordeal, I approached one buck
Grabbed one locked antler and sawed some,
Until the antler was cut free.
And then both bucks did turn and run
Off into the woods leaving me
With antler chunk - my job was done.

My Good Samaritan reason?
A week before hunting season.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Gorilla Backing - LP Zoo

Seven year old Mondika do
On seven year old Patty's back
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
A "gimme a ride round the track."
The gorilla bro and sis be
Often seen in giddy up mode
Whether on ground or up a tree
Throughout their habitat abode.
Mondika wants Patty to move
Even when Patty wants to rest,
A fun to watch gorilla groove
Of siblings at their very best.

From ground below or trees above,
Big sis and little bro share love.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Fairy Bluebird - LP Zoo

As a fairy bluebird, I do
Brighten up blue the Bird House scene
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
As I do flutter 'twixt and 'tween
All the branches of the trees that
Provide me perching places so
I can survey my habitat
To decide where next I will go.
This fairy bluebird often is
Off in fast flight from here to there,
Because I have so much bird biz,
There's hardly any time to spare.

Stop near me and listen a bit,
And I will sing my song, "Glue it."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

New Family Settles In - LP Zoo

Howdy from this meerkat Mom, Queen,
Miranda and Alanis two
Daughters, all making this new scene
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
It's in African Journey that
Our family can be found
Exploring the new habitat,
Covering ev'ry inch of ground.
If you don't see us, wait a bit.
The hollow log's a fav'rite place.
The three of us may be in it,
But soon you'll spot a so cute face.

We're getting settled in and we
Are very happy here to be.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Where's the Mouse? - LP Zoo

This fennec fox is fennicky.
All of my keepers should know that.
A paper bag's given to me.
I shake it through my habitat
To find a hidden treat, I do.
Quite a skilled hunter I am, yes,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
A tasty mouse my hoped for guess.
Out of the bag drops something green,
A disappointment, so I keep
Shaking the bag for more unseen.
Maybe a mouse is hidden deep.

The green thing may be very nice,
But green's not the color of mice.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bubble Up - LP Zoo

Howdy, I'm Storm, the seal, and do
Be watching bubble blowing done
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
My keepers are so full of fun.
I'm hanging out behind the scenes,
Waiting to go swimming outside.
So bubbles are a ways and means
For pass the time to be supplied.
And I of course do play the game,
Popping the bubbles floating by,
Glad that the keepers keep good aim,
Cuz I'm kind of a lazy guy.

When I get underwater's where
I blow my own bubbles from there.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wings for Show Only - LP Zoo

A flamboyant flamingo, I
Do spread all wide my wings, I do,
And look very ready to fly
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
But my wings have been fixed so that
I cannot fly up in the air,
Maybe leaving my habitat
And fly away to who knows where.
So when Chicago winds do blow
The keepers oft take me inside.
Strong wind could lift me up and so
I'm safely in where I won't glide.

So if I am not on display
Perhaps it's just a windy day.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Honor Arrives - LP Zoo

I am Honor and howdy moo
From this dairy cow who's new at
The Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo -
What an awesome home habitat.
I am a Dutch belted cow kind,
Mostly black in the front and back,
With a middle white "belt" designed
Like an Oreo cookie snack.
The dairy short horns reddish brown,
Ruby and Erin, have been great
With welcomes to Chicago town
To their new arriving barn mate.

It is my Honor here to be,
A mooving time and place for me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Piping Plover - LP Zoo

A piping plover bird I be.
As an ambassador I try
To let the public know that we
In the wild are threatened and why.
Beaches on the waters are where
We like to build the nests so that
Our little ones can hatch there.
But we're losing this habitat.
As more and more humans do come,
Our nests come under attack,
An invasion most worrisome,
Causing us to never come back.

There are helpful things you can do.
Visit me at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Through the Glass Darkly - LP Zoo

We lesser hedgehog tenrecs do
Be hard to see in the dark time
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Rarely we might be seen to climb
On the branches of a tree that
We're looking for something to eat.
But likely in the habitat
We're hidden snuggled in retreat.
From Madagascar we do hale
And nocturnal be our kind.
You may look hard but you may fail,
Cuz in the dark we're hard to find.

If by chance you spot one of us,
Consider it a lucky plus.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

New Mates for Old Jack - LP Zoo

Old Jack, the meerkat, was alone.
All his buddies had passed away.
So Queen and her two daughters own
Came to Lincoln Park Zoo to stay.
Mixing meerkats is a thing that
Sometimes can be quite troublesome,
But all four in the habitat
Are doing great and that's welcome.
Jack is the grayer of the four,
And is quite the socializer
With his new gal pals, and he's more
Pumped - a meerkat energizer.

African Journey - come on by.
Look for the three gals and one guy.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Walk on the Wild Side - LP Zoo

We penguins oft do think, we do,
That humans do a funny walk
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Of course amongst us we do talk.
This human walks in staggered way.
That human walks on tippy toe.
Quite an assortment on display
Of humans as they come and go.
We do enjoy all humans be
A walking by this way or that,
Always amusing sights to see,
Watching from our habitat.

Waddle we say when you walk by?
We'll be polite and just say, "Hi."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Chimp in the Blanket - LP Zoo

I grab a blanket, yes I do,
And wrap myself all under it
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
To get some chilling out a bit.
Cuz it is the time of day that
I'm getting ready for a rest.
It's quiet in my habitat.
I grab the blanket that looks best,
Cover myself completely so
None of my body can be viewed.
I am just a big lump below,
Those who see me must conclude.

What's the lump in the blanket be?
It's me, Kathy the chimp, you see.