Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Ollie and Dollie

Pigeons, Ollie and Dollie, be

Back again for a second year,

Nesting on my home balcony.

In their own way they bring good cheer.

The Covid 19 lockdown is 

Keeping me and mine home so that

I feel more in neighborly biz,

Welcoming to my habitat.

And so the pigeons are free to

Check out the apartment in ease,

Looking for eats as pigeons do,

Going wherever they may please.

Ollie and Dollie like it well

And give me a fun tale to tell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hooray for Howie - LP Zoo

Pygmy hippo, Howie, does do

A descent down into the pool

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

To join with his buddies, a school

Of talapia fish, pumped that

Howie's decided to dip in,

And to share the wet habitat.

The fish like to lick Howie's skin

For salt and other goodies there -

A perk for the fish circumstance.

And Howie doesn't seem to care,

Doing his underwater dance.

A talapia winks the sign,

"Come in Howie - the water's fine."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Hopeful Helga - LP Zoo

Fennec fox, Helga's on a crunch

Of leaves of lettuce left for her

By the keepers for her to munch.

Helga likes lettuce fine for sure,

But Helga's really hoping that

Lettuce is just the first entree.

She looks about her habitat

For something better on the way.

No doubt she has mouse on her mind.

How very nice a mouse would be

Upon which to be finest dined.

Helga signals the maitre d'.

When thinking of something to eat,

Helga's thinking, "Where's the meat?"

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Snout About - LP Zoo

Red river hogs, Lily and Knox,

Are in their yard snouting about,

Helping opportunity knocks,

Digging the ground to sniff stuff out.

Roots and tubers they like to eat,

And also bugs found in the ground,

Using their snouts and tusks and feet

To dig in the dirt all around.

While they're digging they're bothered by

Bugs that are flying in the air.

Tails and ears the hogs do apply

To swish at the bugs that fly there.

Lily and Knox, a busy two,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Luigi Looks - LP Zoo

Sloth, Luigi, is hanging out,

And spies a keeper coming near.

This perks up Luigi no doubt.

Maybe some treats are coming here.

In anticipation he be

A smacking his lips thinking that

Very soon some goodies he'll see,

Served to him in his habitat.

Luigi stretches out his head

To be in good position for

Whatever's coming to be fed.

Hope it's stuff that he does adore.

Luigi gives a look so sweet,

"Hey keeper - whatcha got to eat!"

Sense Sonnet - Acher

"Momma!"

On his neck is a white cop's knee

Holding the black man on the ground,

And in handcuffs the black man be.

Coming from him the gasping sound,

"Please man - I can't breathe," but no way

Does the white cop give him some air.

It is a horrific display,

Caught on film for the world to share.

"Momma!" the black man does gasp out.

"Momma! - I'm through." and he does die.

For those who watch there is no doubt

There is not a just reason why.

Too many black Mommas have known

Unjust loss of sons of their own.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Feel the Heat - LP Zoo

Aruba Island rattlesnakes

Have two heat sensing pits they use

To check out prey for striking sakes,

With thermal images as clues.

These pits are 'neath the nostrils and

Can detect some distance away

A body with warmth in the sand,

And the snake slithers toward its prey.

The rattlesnake's tongue too can tell

More of what the prey is about,

By taking from the air the smell,

Leaving the snake with little doubt.

Will the snake win this deadly game?

Depends on its venomous aim.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Duolog - LP Zoo

Asian otters, Gasby and Phraay,

Are doing what they often do,

Taking a break from otter play

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

A hollow log is where they be,

Snuggled together close in snooze.

All of a sudden Gasby, she

Stretches and a big yawn ensues,

Waking Phraay and he starts to stir.

The two prepare to head once more

To be a busy pair for sure,

Ready and primed to play galore.

Any otter nap time to share,

They know the hollow log waits there.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

New Friends - LP Zoo

The two newest snow monkeys do

A get more acquainted play date

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

A welcome time for each play mate.

Both are only a few weeks old.

Each are under each Mom's close eye.

But over time they are more bold,

Curiosity in supply.

Both of the youngsters are female

And play in a lady like way,

Cute in each and ev'ry detail,

As the two do engage in play.

A whole new world with time to spend,

What better way than with a friend!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Jawsome Umande - LP Zoo

Umande is a headstrong guy.

The teenage gorilla knows that,

More silverbacked as years go by,

Maturing in his habitat.

From the crest on top of his head,

Jaw muscles stretch down firm and strong

To assure that when food is fed,

Umande's chew moves well along.

Thinking of jaw puts him of mind

That he is hungry for a treat.

Scanning about he looks to find

Something tasty for him to eat.

Umande does a super chew

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Gasby Turns 5 - LP Zoo

Asian otter, Gasby, is seen

Zooming around her habitat,

Partaking of birthday cuisine.

She's now 5 years old - how 'bout that!

No boring birthday cake for her.

Instead a bunch of meal worms be

Catching all her senses for sure,

Including taste especially.

A happy otter, Gasby is.

No meal worm does escape her zeal,

Relentless in her birthday biz,

Turning each worm into a meal.

Gasby - a Happy 5th to you

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Lightened Up - LP Zoo

Pygmy slow loris, Meeka, is

Using some shredded paper to

Recycle in his nesting biz

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Nocturnal, Meeka likes to be

In the dark when he moves about.

And so surprised somewhat is he

When a light flashes - he looks out,

And sees one of his keepers that

Does take a picture of him while

He's busy in his habitat.

Looking peeved, Meeka does not smile.

Meeka must wonder why humans take

So many pictures for goodness sake.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Romp in the Rain - LP Zoo

Finely takes a romp in the rain.

The three year old giraffe feels he

Is King in wet or dry domain.

A true royal romper he does be.

He likes to kick his legs up high,

As around the yard he does go,

A get a big kick kind of guy.

And Finely stops to bid hello

To a keeper who is watching near.

Then off again he is well sped,

Finely's romp on to reappear.

Raindrops keep falling on his head.

Rain or shine there's romping to do 

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Birch in Search - LP Zoo

Birch, all American black bear,

Is foraging for goodies that

Keepers have hidden here and there

In play things in his habitat.

As soon as Birch comes outside, he

Can smell the goodies in the breeze.

Nuts, raisins, sunflower seeds be

Somewhere hiding for him to seize.

It takes no time at all and Birch

Is at his toys and shaking out

The rewards from his quite quick search,

Enjoying his success no doubt.

Birch can well smell out any clue

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sliding Odie - LP Zoo

Odie, the otter's on a slide,

Doing what he does love to do -

Going on his own river ride

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Maybe not a real river that

The river otter likes to dream

Is running through his habitat.

But there is a good sliding stream

That has a strong sufficient flow

Going at a nice slanting drop

For a fast but fun ride below,

As Odie sails down from the top.

Odie on his belly does be

Having an otter sliding spree.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Bettong in the Light -  LP Zoo

A brush tailed bettong mammal is

A small marsupial one that,

Nocturnal, likes to do its biz

In the dark in its habitat

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Twice weekly the keepers tong feed

The bettong bugs so they can do

A close look health check up indeed.

Of course this means that light must be

Shed upon the bettong as fed,

And the bettong hesitantly

Sees the bug and sticks out its head.

Eating a bug is worth it despite

The bettong's venture into the light.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Unique Nose - LP Zoo

A close up of Amare shows

The teenage gorilla displays

A one of a kind unique nose,

Different in so many ways.

Though a gorilla's fingerprints

Are like a humans, quite distinct,

Too, each gorilla's nose presents

Certain features that can be linked

Only to that gorilla who

Is male Amare in this case,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Nose show cased in this time and place.

What does Amare think about that?

No nose comment from his habitat.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Eye Wash - LP Zoo

A Henkel's leaf tailed gecko is

Looking 'round for something to eat.

Finding food is serious biz

That the gecko wants to complete.

But the gecko can't see too well,

Cuz dirt and stuff covers its eyes.

There are no eyelids to dispel

The dirt, so Mom Nature supplies

The gecko with a means to clean.

Out of the gecko's mouth is swung

The instrument of eyes hygiene -

A nice long pink wet wiping tongue.

The clean eyed gecko can now pursue

Food here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Storks go Fishing - LP Zoo

The European white storks do

Some fishing in their wading pool

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Their long beaks are a useful tool.

Cheyanne and Jethro - quite a pair,

As they both go wading about

Grabbing up all the live fish there.

They've quite a knack for catching trout.

Soon all the fish do disappear,

Swallowed whole as the storks delight

In getting to go fishing here,

With wings a flapping - quite a sight.

The sounds from Jethro and Cheyanne -

Live fish better than from a can.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Kathy on Break - LP Zoo

Kathy is social distancing

From the other chimpanzees that

Are off elsewhere doing their thing

In the chimps' outside habitat.

Who knows what her reasons might be

To spend some time and place alone.

Whatever is on her mind, she

Seems content in her quiet zone,

Sitting serenely on the ground,

Taking a respite for a while,

Gazing out at all that's around,

Giving awareness with a smile.

Kathy chooses to take time to

Pause some here at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

As the Dwarf Mongoose Turns - LP Zoo

The dwarf mongoose gang's busy at

Checking a feeder puzzle  out.

A camera's in their habitat,

Watching them all scamper about.

It doesn't take them too much time

To solve the puzzle and to get

The goodies, and then some do climb

To where the camera is set.

Some tugging there, some poking here,

And soon the camera does tip.

A topsy turvy does appear,

And all is an upside down flip.

For the moment things look askew

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Striped Expectation - LP Zoo

The Grevy's zebras announce that

Coming will be a zebra new,

A baby in the habitat

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Yes, Mom, Adia, again is

Expecting a new girl or boy.

She's experienced in this Mom biz,

And awaits her bundle of joy.

Meanwhile the other zebras are

Lending Adia good support,

Giving her space but not too far,

At her beck and call should she snort.

Congrats Adia, Mom to be,

Soon a little striped star to see.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Virgin Island Tree Boa - LP Zoo

Virgin Island tree boa is

Rated on a very high scale

As to doing its squeezing biz

Around its prey in wrapped detail.

Lizards are the favorite prey.

On a tree limb the boa be,

And when a lizard comes its way,

The boa does move quite quickly,

And squeezes the lizard until

The lungs of the lizard do burst.

When choked dead, the boa then will

Swallow the whole lizard head first.

A lot of lizards lose their breath

By being boa hugged to death.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Wolf Encounter - LP Zoo

I am a red wolf looking at

The people walking down the street

Just outside of my habitat.

I like to watch and meet and greet.

Oft the people do stay, they do

When they do see me watching back

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

People watching - I have a knack.

The people have no fear of me.

They know that this wolf is not bad.

I am here for people to see,

And when I'm seen, people are glad.

People like me and that is good,

Even little Red Riding Hood.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Romeo Turns One - LP Zoo

May 19th, twenty twenty be

The day that Romeo turns one.

A thousand pounder now is he.

Mom Kapuki's proud of her son.

The young rhino's a growing boy,

And it is quite apparent that

He's a bigger bundle of joy

With a year in the habitat.

To help Romeo celebrate

The keepers make a big to do,

Throwing a party that's first rate

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

A Happy Birthday Romeo.

You're an awesome ONE - doncha know!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Peeking Katai - LP Zoo

Katai is playing peek a boo,

As the black bear sits in his pool

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

He has that look of, "I'm so cool!"

He's playing with a keeper that

Snaps his picture when he's head up,

Peeking across the habitat,

Keeping the keeper waiting - yup.

And then Katai does disappear,

Going under water a while.

What he is doing is unclear,

Then back up he comes with a smile.

Yes, Katai is in the pool there,

Though one can bearly see the bear.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Barnabus and Bixby - LP Zoo

Barnabus and Bixby do be

Staring down at a keeper who

Snaps a picture for all to see

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Two eastern screech owls be the pair.

Barnabus, a red phased male, and

Bixby, a gray phased female, share

A habitat where they, firsthand,

Watch all that's happening nearby,

Especially the humans that

Oft are amusing to owl eye,

As they visit the habitat.

When there's something to tell to each,

Barnabus and Bixby do screech.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Fishy Popsicle - LP Zoo

Storm, the harbor seal, opens wide

To catch a treat tossed through the air.

His keen timing skills are applied,

And in his mouth the treat is there.

It is a popsicle of ice

That pops between his jaws to hold.

Storm senses that this catch is nice -

A goodie is wrapped in the cold.

As the ice melts Storm does sense fish,

Truly a favorite of his.

A keeper did fulfill Storm's wish,

As he gets down to eating biz.

Storm can count on the keepers to

Keep him fine at Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Where Dem Bones? - LP Zoo

Topaz and Mikumi have got

The nose scent to search for some bones.

Both are running around a lot

Throughout all where bones might be zones.

The painted dogs do love to chew

The bones the keepers hide somewhere

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

And so excitedly, the pair

Seek out those bones that they can smell.

It is soon quite apparent that

This is a game that each plays well -

The bone hunt in the habitat.

Through the Covid phenomenon

The closed Zoo works and life goes on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Mom's Day with Sons - LP Zoo

Debrazza's monkey, Mom, does do

On Mothers Day some special time

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo

With her two sons, as all do climb

Together up upon a tree.

Her two sons snuggled close to her, 

Mom seems content as she can be,

Knowing her boys need her for sure.

Upon the tree limb they do sit

In quiet time on their Mom's Day.

All three do even nap a bit,

Mom and her sons dreaming away.

Through the Covid phenomenon

The closed Zoo works and life goes on.