Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 In Golden Enfold In

Solomon Island leaf frog, I

Do resemble a leaf, I do,

Like autumn season does supply

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

When leaves of green turn golden bright,

And soon after fall to the ground,

Making me much harder to sight

When golden leaves lie all around.

A perfect mix of time and place,

Giving me a camouflage that,

Even when we are face to face,

Hides me well in my habitat.

A field of gold is what you see.

Somewhere in there - can you find me?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Vet Tech Appreciation Week '20 - LP Zoo

Vet Tech Appreciation Week -

Taking part are the ponies who

Trot to pony up, so to speak,

At Lincoln Park Farm in the Zoo.

Li'l Red, Smithers and Mr. Burns

All show their appreciation,

Thanking their vet tech one on one.

Of course the vet tech does respond,

Handing out something good to eat,

Knowing the ponies are more fond

Of vet techs coming with a treat.

Such close ups help the vet tech tell

That the ponies are doing well.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Trustful Beaver - LP Zoo

Being a beaver I like to

Be in my water pond a lot

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

And a great water pond I've got.

Beavers who are in the wild must

Build their own water pond I hear,

And once built, beavers cannot trust

That humans won't make disappear.

So I am very happy that

The humans at the Zoo take care

Of my water pond habitat.

I trust my pond is always there.

I'm happy humans here do be

Humans who are beaver friendly.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Long Leggedly - LP Zoo

I be a bird called black necked stilt,

Cuz I have stilt like legs I do.

For water wading I'm well built

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

In the water is where I find

Critters and plants I like to eat,

And my long beak is well designed

To grab such goodies at my feet.

While in the water where I'm at,

I also can use my beak there

For outside the wet habitat

To grab flying bugs in the air.

Standing one legged, I don't fall.

And in such stance I'm just as tall.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 African Penguin Day '20 - LP Zoo

October 10th, twenty twenty,

It is African Penguin Day,

For Awareness plenty, plenty -

Lots of awareness on display

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo

By the African penguins all,

As they come together to do

In harmony a rally call

To support the birds of their kind,

Who in the wild, endangered be;

To strengthen the efforts that bind

Us all internationally.

Heed the Zoo penguins' call to care.

Help is needed - please be aware.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Chow Sense - LP Zoo

I am a giraffe and I do

See and hear and smell very well

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Good for the wild where giraffes dwell.

But in the safe Zoo each sense is

Used for checking out this and that,

As I am doing giraffe biz

Anywhere in my habitat.

Especially these senses be

"Let me know whens" to be embraced

When some food is coming to me,

Involving also touch and taste.

I sense keepers coming with chow,

And so I need to leave you now.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Song Birds - LP Zoo

The African penguins do do

A coming together in song

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

In awesome sounds they sing along,

Bunched together with heads held high,

They do belt out a tune unique,

Singing their souls out to the sky,

Band of merry birds, so to speak!

Enthusiastic one and all,

Quite a sight full, sound full display,

The whole colony is on call,

A kinky choir, the penguin way.

The sounds of hee hawing en masse -

No surprise they're nicknamed "jackass."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Fall with Grimm - LP Zoo

The cinereous vulture, Grimm,

Watches visitors coming to

His habitat to visit him

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

He struts proudly around so that

All of his visitors can see

Him close up in his habitat,

Looking the big bird that he be.

The feel of autumn's in the air,

Green leaves turning yellow and red,

And orange pumpkins everywhere.

Grimm welcomes all with wings outspread.

It's the Zoo's festive time of fall,

And Grimm does not seem grim at all.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 That's Amare

A bachelor gorilla who

Likes quiet time, Amare is,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Content at minding his own biz.

Often in the bachelor pad,

Amare by himself will be

Cloaked in solitude to be had,

Taking it all in quietly.

The gentle giant finds a spot

Where he can watch the world go by,

While not being bothered a lot

By would be botherers who try.

That's Amare with own way

Of how to have a blissful day.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 No with the Flow - LP Zoo

We red river hogs surely do

Hear "red river" in our name

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

And we can see why the "red" came.

But why "river" refers to us -

We are not too sure about that.

Though nothing causing us to fuss,

No river's in the habitat.

Hogs in the wild do probably

Like to be where a river flows.

A flowing river here would be

Hard to imagine - but who knows!

We hogs do like it here but guess

The habitat stays riverless.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Big Hearted - LP Zoo

I have a big heart, yes I do.

As a giraffe I'm glad of that,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo, 

Because of where my brain is at.

My heart and brain are far apart,

Thanks to my long neck 'twixt and 'tween.

And so I require a big heart

To do the needed pump routine.

To get the blood all the way up

Through my long neck and to my brain,

I need to be big hearted - yup,

So consciousness I can maintain.

When my big heart is pumping well,

No worry of a fainting spell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Spread on Purpose - LP Zoo

As a sunbittern bird I can

Spread out my wings to scare away

Predators in an awesome span,

In bright and colorful display.

Large spots of yellow, black and red

Give the look of gigantic eyes,

Filling a predator with dread

That messing with me is not wise.

But I'm in an environment that

No predators do bother me.

I feel safe in my habitat.

Sometimes I'll spread my wings for free.

Okay folks - this spread's just for you,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Cece Turns Two - LP Zoo

Cece, the penguin, has turned two.

The keepers give him an ice cake

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

And hatchday boy did merrymake,

Using his beak to chip away

At the ice so as to get at

Nesting material array

For his nest in the habitat.

Cece is serious about

Making his nest a comfy place,

And thus was excited no doubt

Getting gifts to best nest showcase.

Happy Hatchday two year old Cece,

Now building that awesome nest to be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Long Ago Feathers

We associate feathers with

Birds, but feathers really go back

To dinosaurs, a fact not myth.

On evolutionary track

Even T. Rex had feathers fine,

Growing along its head and tail.

It's uncertain if by design

It slowly was replacing scale.

A flying T. Rex, yes indeed,

Would have been quite a sight to see,

But was not able to succeed,

As dinosaurs did cease to be.

T. Rex hatched with feathery stuff,

An adorable ball of fluff!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Otter be in Pictures - LP Zoo

Gasby, the otter, does love to

Give her very best pose when she,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Sees such an opportunity.

She has come well to understand

About the little gizmo that

Most often humans hold in hand

When visiting her habitat.

So when such an occasion is,

Which happens almost ev'ryday,

She's ready for some more show biz,

Showing that look as if to say,

"Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for"

"My close up." - Don't you just adore!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mom's a Given - LP Zoo

One year old Mondika knows that

His Mom, Rollie, is the go to

In the gorilla habitat

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Whenever he may feel the need

To get some loving attention.

Because for sure his Mom indeed

Always dotes on her only son.

Anytime Mondika does be

Needing loving he goes to her,

And Mom does give him T.L.C.

He feels so much better for sure.

All is peaceful and all is calm,

Mondika in the arms of Mom.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is

Name of a marsupial who

Is known for its ferocious biz - 

For "devil" stuff that it can do.

A relatively small beast that

Has a very big shriek and bite,

A terror in its habitat,

Prowling about both day and night.

What is this bandicoot good for?

It's an environmentalist -

Aerates soil and eats pests galore,

Useful purposes to exist.

In Tasmania, just beware

A little "devil" may lurk there.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Shanghai Tunnels

Portland, Oregon - underground, 

The Shanghai Tunnels used to be,

Where legend has it, men were bound

For Asia, taken forcibly.

An able bodied man be at

A bar enjoying fun with ale,

Trapdoored to under habitat,

And tunneled to a ship to sail

Off to Asia - the term, "Shanghaied,"

Where he became a slave until

He managed to escape or died.

Some of the tunnels exist still.

The Shanghai Tunnels get bad rap.

Some say it's just a tourist trap.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Along for the Short - LP Zoo

We ostriches look forward to

Another day to warmly greet,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

All the visitors whom we meet.

With our long necks there's no doubt

Even short visitors we'll spy.

Connecting is what we're about,

Truly for each young gal and guy.

All the kids get excited at

Seeing such super big birds be

Strutting about the habitat.

We leave an awesome memory.

Of course you don't have to be short

To share the awesomeness we sport.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Have Purple, Will Travel

Ancient Phoenicia stretched along

The Mediterranean Sea,

Comprised of several cities strong,

Where modern Lebanon now be.

Phoenicians were in sailing trade,

Sea masters in their time and place.

Purple fabric was what they made

That made them a competing ace,

On ships they built with expertise.

To near and far Phoenicians sold

To wealthy wanting purple please,

Turning the purple into gold.

Purple fabric they sailed for sale,

Phoenicians made from a sea snail.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 No Escaping Cute - LP Zoo

Time and place for Mondika to

Take a break from his busy day

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

The young gorilla hides away,

Snuggled in a pile of wood wool,

Thinking no one will bother him,

Munching away, his mouth is full

Of lettuce on his merry whim.

But suddenly he senses that

He's not unseen as he had thought.

He looks about the habitat.

Eyes are upon him - he's been caught.

A keeper with camera be

Snapping Mondika's privacy.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Snow on the Mind - LP Zoo

Yes, I am a snow monkey that

Is really looking forward to

Snow falling in the habitat

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Yes, I know it's just early fall,

But weather in Chicago town

Does bring surprises for us all,

So snow could come a falling down.

I keep a hopeful watch out for

The snow to come drifting my way.

Yes, I will be happy galore

When there does come the first snow day.

Sooner or later there'll come snow.

I hope it's sooner, doncha know!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 World Gorilla Day '20 - LP Zoo

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo

World Gorilla Day is a time

For caring humans to renew

The conservation effort prime,

To give gorillas ev'rywhere

A better chance that they survive.

In this world that we all do share

Humans can help gorillas thrive.

The Zoo gorillas young and old

Are ambassadors ev'ry day,

A telling truth that should be told,

Connecting us to faraway.

Gorillas at the Zoo remind

Us of the caring ties that bind.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Most Time, Nap Time -  LP Zoo

Luigi, the sloth, likes to do

A lot of napping night and day

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

He snoozes in a dreamy way,

Getting himself curled up so that

He's as comfy as he can be

Hanging out in his habitat,

Passing lots of time dozingly.

For the few hours he's awake,

His main concern is eating lunch.

So a few movements he might make,

But never wants to move a bunch.

Sometimes Luigi makes a move

Into a better sleeping groove.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Butternut Stomps - LP Zoo

Butternut's a wood turtle who

Turtles about her habitat,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Slowly checking out this and that.

Wood turtles in the wild do stomp

The ground with their front feet to trick

Worms to the surface, there to chomp,

No falling rain the worms learn quick.

Of course Butternut is aware

The keepers serve the worms to her.

And knowing when meals should be there,

She sends out a signal for sure.

So Butternut does stomp the ground

When she sees keepers are around.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Guard Duty  - LP Zoo

I am a meerkat and I do

My duty as a stand up guard

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Where guard duty's not all that hard.

In the wild we always must be

On guard for any dangers that

Threaten the meerkat colony.

While the Zoo's a safe habitat,

Each still takes a sentinel turn,

Because it is an instinct and,

Though there is no real threat concern,

My duty is to take a stand.

I mainly guard for the "intrude"

Of a keeper coming with food.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Hatched to Hop - LP Zoo

Tiny froglets have just hatched new,

The Solomon Island leaf kind,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

So small they can be hard to find.

Just an eighth of an inch in size,

But miniature frogs they be,

Skipping the tadpole phase to rise

To the occasion frogfully.

Why do these frogs skip tadpoling?

Inquiring minds have knowing need.

Maybe these frogs just have a thing

Of hopping to it - yes indeed!

Congrats, froglets for hatching out,

A welcome addition no doubt.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Twin Humps - LP Zoo

I have not one hump but have two,

A bactrian camel I be,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Proud of my humps for all to see.

Since at the Zoo I am well fed.

Both of my humps are well filled up

With fat under fur brownish red,

An energizer for me - yup!

Like twin peaks my two humps do stand,

Jutting upward into the sky.

When I move they do jiggle and

Provide watchers with a hump, "Hi."

Each hump gets equal attention.

I don't have a favorite one.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Tivoli

A feral peacock one day came

To West L.A., no one knew why.

Tivoli soon became his name,

The street where first strutted this guy.

He came when the Covid shutdown 

First was and dampened spirits all.

But Tivoli perked up the town

And was a brighten up windfall.

Residents followed him about,

As he roamed through the neighborhood

Spreading colorful feathers out,

And spreading joy and spreading good.

The main guess for his navigate -

Most likely looking for a mate.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Good Eating Habits - LP Zoo

Rosie and Tiko, Mom and son,

Do take some time for lunch, they do.

And Mom does pay close attention,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

To acquired eating habits that

Her young son may be picking up.

Over time in the habitat

Mom sets a good example - yup!

Thanks to Mom's patient guidance, her

Son is learning the proper way

For good eating habits for sure,

And he does practice ev'ry day.

Tiko is learning from Mom fine

As both DeBrazza monkeys dine.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 World Rhino Day '20 - LP Zoo

Rhinos, Mom and Romeo, do

Celebrate the World Rhino Day

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Sharing a big barrel of hay.

The keepers hung the barrel out so

The rhinos at their leisure could

Rock and roll the barrel to and fro,

And chow the hay down yummy good.

Aiding the rhinos in their chow -

Multi task prehensile tongues that

Let them grab hold the hay and how! -

A hay day in the habitat.

World Rhino Day means being aware

Of helping the rhinos everywhere.