Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Plunger on Parade - LP Zoo

In January, big Siku
Does take a plunge into the pool,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
His polar bear plunge is so cool!
He makes a grand resurface from
The churned icy water so that
He can give a nod of welcome
To watchers near his habitat.
Showing off in the water be
A popular big Siku thing.
He puts on quite a water show,
And is never disappointing.

Come visit big Siku and cheer
His super plunges made all year.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

To Feed or Not to Feed

The Grevy's zebra faces drought
In Africa in times long dry.
The Grevy's zebra's just about
To go extinct, so humans try
To feed by dropping bales of hay.
But is it right to butt in so,
Which is often the human way
To change the wild's free ebb and flow.
Right or wrong the debate goes on.
If humans do not intervene
Maybe the zebras will be gone.
It is a choice of 'twixt or 'tween.

Whether or not the humans give,
Whether or not the zebras live.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Diego

Tortoise Diego came back to
The Galapagos Islands from
A stint at San Diego Zoo.
For tortoise gals he was welcome.
Since 1976 he
Sired over 800 offspring,
Letting the endangered specie
Make very good recovering.
His long necked yellow face became
A human fav'rite to observe,
Watching him do his claim to fame,
Mating with tortoise gals with verve.

Over a hundred years old now,
Retiring from duty done - wow!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Flamingo Bob

Flamingo Bob does like to go
To be with human children to
Put on a conservation show,
A quite important job to do.
Injured in a flight accident,
Bob lives in a sanctuary,
And ventures out to represent
A close up for the need to be
Aware of how all humans can
Change human habits in a way
To impact in a world wide span
To make a cleaner, safer day.

Friendly Flamingo Bob in pink
Gives the children reason to think.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Snow Rally - LP Zoo

Some snow monkeys are meeting to
Discuss concerns that there's no snow
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
January and a no show
For the white stuff - what's going on?
Tiz the season for snow to fall.
Chicago needs to get dumped on.
Snow monkeys await - one and all.
One snow monkey does report that
This weekend, snow is on the way
And will cover the habitat.
Oh that will be a joyous day!

Happy the snow monkeys will be
When all about is snowingly.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Where's the Veggies? - LP Zoo

I do like veggies, yes I do.
The keepers keep me well supplied
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
This hedgehog tenrec does confide.
Sometimes the keepers play a game
Relocating the veggies so that
My senses need to focus aim
And search throughout my habitat.
It makes it more like the real thing
In Madagascar in the wild
Where there is always food searching.
In no set place is food just piled.

Small Mammal House - come visit me.
A veggie hunting I may be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Stripes in Snow - LP Zoo

This zebra does love snow I do.
Tiz the season for the white stuff
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
When the weather gets cold enough.
In Africa where zebras be,
I doubt if they have too much snow,
So I feel like a lucky me
When through the chilly white I go.
Some may wonder if I'm too cold.
I can be inside if I choose,
But my playful nature takes hold,
And snow bound be I can't refuse.

If snow did fall striped black and white,
Now that would be an awesome sight!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Happy Reunion

Twelve year old Hannah was so sad
When her cat Spunky disappeared.
He was the best cat friend she'd had,
Thinking of him she often teared.
Three years went by and Hannah went
To a center to volunteer
For rescued pets that did present.
Lo and behold, Spunky was here!
Only a short time had gone by
That rescued Spunky was brought in.
No one knew much of how or why,
But for the two a new begin.

Hannah and Spunky, happy pair,
Together again - lives to share.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bobcat Goes to Washington

A bobcat has been spotted in
The wilds of Washington, D.C.
Has been a long time since its kin
Has roamed here - quite a rarity.
Perhaps the bobcat had learned that
D.C was now a tangled swamp,
And thus could be a habitat
For a bobcat to really romp.
An independent probably,
No push for either party line.
Just here to check out stuff for free
By accident or by design.

Bobcats like small mammals for prey,
But politicians - there's no way!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

Poisonous or Venomous

Poisonous or venomous be
Two ways that some animals do
A strong toxin delivery
To such other animals who
Threaten or are desired as prey.
Venom is done by injection
By fang or stinger or spine way.
Poison is by absorbing done
Through an orifice opening,
Most normally the mouth or eyes.
Some cobras, biting or spitting,
Can do a double whammy wise.

So venomous or poisonous -
Always important to discuss.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Maybe Next Year - LP Zoo

As twenty twenty does begin
Talini is out and about,
The polar bear leaving her den,
No pregnancy this time, no doubt.
She will be reintroduced to
Big Siku, the male polar bear,
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
And once again time they will share.
Together again, time will tell
If a birth of cubs is to be.
Both polar bears get along well,
So could be future family.

A muddy Talini alert -
She does love to roll in the dirt.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Djeke's First New Year - LP Zoo

Mom Bana and son Djeke do
A bringing in of the new year
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
And twenty twenty  is now here.
Djeke, almost seven months old,
Passes the time taking a snooze,
Snuggled close in the loving hold
Of Mom who watchfully does choose
Not to let the people around
Count down to new year so loud that
Djeke is wakened by such sound
Echoing through the habitat.

A new year with celebrating -
Not really a gorilla thing.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Spots - LP Zoo

We three giraffes are prone to do
A sitting down and chilling out
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
In quite a striking pose no doubt.
Bunches of soft pine shavings be
Spread out upon the inside floor,
A perfect place for giraffes three
To settle down in spots galore,
A blending of them 'twixt and 'tween,
Crissing and crossing forth and back
To make a spots mosaic be seen.
We trio have a spotful knack.

In each trio phenomenon
We giraffes are ever spot on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

In the Mooed for a Brush - LP Zoo

We cows do a brush up, we do,
In any season of the year
In Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo.
Brushing feels good from head to rear.
The keepers keep us cows enriched,
Putting up brushes here and there
To scratch the places where we itched.
We do appreciate such care.
And in the dairy barn there is
An automatic brush that turns,
Making easier, scratching biz.
Relief for itch a body yearns.

When an itch enters our day
A brush is never far away.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Tern a Profile - LP Zoo

An Inca tern, I tern my head
And do a profile, yes I do.
There's a prominent beak of red
Jutting forth in Lincoln Park Zoo.
I have a round and onyx eye
And underneath, some feathers white
That form a "mustache" curling by
A yellow feathered cheek all bright,
All upon a head shiny black,
Quite a colorful bird I am,
And posing I do have a knack.
I don't mind acting like a ham.

Ah - what an awesome bird I be.
See for yourself and visit me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Charlie Turns Six - LP Zoo

Six years old - Charlie the gray seal
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
So the keepers make a big deal,
And do a squid cake, yes they do,
Multi layered and colored bright,
And put upon a rock so that
Charlie can sense by smell and sight,
And swim out from his habitat,
Whiskers a whisk, flippers a flip,
Right to the cake Charlie does go,
And into his cake he does rip,
Putting on a great birthday show.

Charlie - a Happy 6th Birthday,
Hope it is full of fun and play.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Aruba Duet - LP Zoo

Aruba rattlesnakes we be,
Liking to slither in the sand,
Scaling out the locality,
Hither and yon, no bounds be planned.
We snuggle close to help keep warm.
Our bodies need outside heat,
And when together, any harm
Is easier to double beat.
We give a rattle to make known
That we are close and so beware.
We can take a venomous tone
With nasty bites that we can share.

We rock, rattle and roll, we do
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Huddlers - LP Zoo

We do a huddle, yes we do.
At huddling close we monkeys shine
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
Japanese macaques huddle fine.
Also called snow monkeys, we be
A socially dynamic group
Passing down behave quality
From old to young within the troop.
And doing huddles is one way
We come together to assure
Our customs will strongly stay
Bonded together fur to fur.

So when you happen to come by
And see us huddle, you'll know why.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Crowd Watching - LP Zoo

Mom and young son do watch, they do,
The crowds of people come and go
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
All day it is a constant flow.
Young son is reassured by Mom
That all the people are okay.
So he watches, remaining calm,
Such crowds are just a normal day.
And it is only normal that
The people come and want to see
The young son in the habitat
Where other gorillas do be.

So even though the crowds abound,
The young son's fine with Mom around.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Cool Gift - LP Zoo

This seal woke up on Christmas day
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
And Santa Claus had been my way,
Leaving for me a good gift new.
Chicago's having a heat spell,
So there's no white Christmas this year.
So Santa brought me gifts packed well
In snow from the North Pole with cheer.
I am a happy seal to be
Looking for gifts wrapped up in snow.
Each gift found is chowed down by me,
Flippering me out, doncha know!

Yes, Santa really knows his biz,
And what a cool dude Santa is!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Old Cone Heads

Ancient Egyptian art is filled
With pointy cones upon the heads
Of people as adornments frilled
With fancy artistry on spreads.
In tombs a few cones have been found,
And bees wax is how they were made,
With fabric then around them bound,
With varied colorings inlaid.
What was the purpose of these cones?
Nobody really seems to know,
Just another of the unknowns
Of fashion fads so long ago.

A studied object of mystique,
The cone of silence, so to speak.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Frankincense

One gift, the Bible tells us so,
Brought to baby Jesus when born,
Was frankincense so long ago
On starlit night in early morn.
Highly prized was this frankincense,
Thought to be worth its weight in gold,
Quite a fragrant resin and hence,
Quite sought after since times of old.
It comes from the frankincense tree,
Sap from the trunk that is scraped out,
Then dried into commodity,
A best smeller seller, no doubt.

The cuts made on the trees do heal,
If not too many made with zeal.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Giant Freshwater Stingray

The giant freshwater stingray,
One of the largest fish there be,
Over a thousand pounds to weigh,
And quite an odd shaped fish to see.
Its fins give it a disc like form
And slightly longer than is wide,
Six foot diameter the norm.
On river bottoms it does hide.
It can sport a nine foot long tail
Which does include a stinging spine,
Not aggressive but will impale
Threats by accident or design.

The threats include the human sort
Who hunt the ray for food and sport.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

The Oseberg Ship

The Oseberg ship did never sail
The seas of Vikings long ago,
Decorated in lavish scale,
Land buried where no waters flow.
The purpose for the ship is thought
To be a final resting place
For a female who held a lot
Of high prestige and power base.
Perhaps priestess or royalty
Who was chosen to be interred
In the ship for eternity,
The voyage of the soul assured.

The Oseberg ship from stern to bow
Is in an Oslo museum now.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Best So Far

Abraham, George and F.D.R.,
Lincoln, Washington, Roosevelt.
Experts do say that these three are
The best U.S. Presidents dealt
So far in U.S. history.
They shared some qualities, some not.
They had some good, some bad, all three.
The time and place of each was fraught
Fighting a war which would decide
The future of the U.S.A.
Each one's leadership turned the tide
To victory as the won way.

It was the way that it was then,
Best Presidents were old white men.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

About a Carrot - LP Zoo

Big sis is watching little bro.
He's munching on a carrot that
He grabbed from her and then did go
On a run through the habitat.
Big sis goes running after him
And sneaks up very quietly,
And staying in the shadows dim,
To the spot where little bro be.
A very current carrot case,
Big sis and little bro both in,
A carrot tug of war takes place.
Which gorilla sibling will win?

Come see yourself the tugging two
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Is It a Match? - LP Zoo

Jamaican iguanas do be
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
There now is both a she and he,
And hopefully the two will do
A come get together so that
Nature will make a perfect match,
And there'll come to the habitat
A whole bunch of babies to hatch.
Real endangered this species is,
And so the get togethering
And doing some family biz
Iguana be a real good thing.

Best wishes for them both for sure,
To get connected, him and her.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Romeo's a Barrel of Fun - LP Zoo

Romeo does come out to play
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.
It is a warm and sunny day.
The young rhino has much to do.
He spies the half barrels lying there,
And knows in heart and mind and soul
That getting in a barrel is where
Romeo can sure rock and roll,
And so he does exactly that
To the delight of those who see
Him frolic in his habitat,
Happy a rhino as can be.

Always play time for Romeo,
Always putting on a great show.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mondika's Day - LP Zoo

Mondika's had a busy day
Playing with his sisters and bro.
Into Mom's arms he makes his way
To cuddle up so Mom does know
That though he is a growing boy
Reaching a whole seven months old.
He's still Mom's cute bundle of joy,
So happy in Mom's loving hold.
Mondika knows that he can share
With Mom his ev'ry this and that,
Knowing he's in the best of care
In the gorilla habitat.

Come see what Mondika's up to
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hooded Merganser - LP Zoo

The hooded merganser does do
A duck diving deal ev'ry day
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,
Diving underwater for prey.
Fish is a fav'rite for this duck
Who takes a dive and can see well
Underwater, so not just luck
That catch of the day does excel.
At Children's Zoo these ducks do be,
Sharing the pool with the beavers,
Who watch the ducks in diving spree
And are admiring believers.

A visit by you would be good,
Meet the merganser with the hood.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Thanksgiving '19 Celebration - LP Zoo

Just in time for Thanksgiving came
A new African penguin chick
Hatching out of an egg to claim
Lots of attention, cute and quick.
Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo
The keepers keep up special care
To assure that the chick does do
The very best in growth welfare,
And helping out Mom and Dad so
The trio has some privacy
With a good time and place to grow,
Thanksgiving for the family.

Hopefully soon the chick will be
Out and about for all to see.