Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 On Camera - LP Zoo

A red billed leiothrix flew to

Get a close look at something that,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Was newly in his habitat.

What was this thing silent and still

Did wonder the small bird as he

Pecked about it with his red bill,

Gauging this curiosity.

No food upon it could be found,

A disappointing fact indeed.

Any new thing that came around

Was most welcome if it could feed.

As the small bird hopped to and fro,

The camera captured the show.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Covid Delta Variant

Covid Delta variant be

Infecting children more and more.

The young are facing jeopardy

Greater than variants before.

A vaccine hopefully comes soon

To be given to children so

Younger bodies can build immune

And escape the Covid deathblow.

There will be parents who refuse

Their children getting a vaccine.

Parents may win, children may lose,

Consequences yet to be seen.

Vaccine deniers will be why

Too many children have to die.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Vanity

Elizabeth Bathory be

A Hungarian countess who

In the late sixteenth century

A lot of murdering did do.

Hundreds of young maidens were brought

To the countess by servants so

They then could be tortured a lot,

Each death agonizing and slow.

At first it would not be believed

That this beautiful lady could

Commit such evil acts conceived.

It seemed such an unlikelihood.

Bathing in victims' blood her way

For her youthful beauty to stay.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Isadora

Isadora Duncan did be

One who performed to great acclaim.

A wonderful dancer was she,

Achieving both fortune and fame.

In 1927 on

September 14th ill fate struck.

A long, silken scarf she did don

That would become for her bad luck.

In an open air car she rode,

Speeding along the street with zeal,

Unaware of need to forbode.

The scarf tangled in the car wheel.

Isadora did die that day,

Strangled by her scarf was the way.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Wing Wave - LP Zoo

This sunbittern bird does see you

Strolling through the Free Flight domain

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

So I fly closer to attain

A view of you that's closer up.

Looking close at you I can see

You do seem a harmless sort - yup!

And so I see no need for me

To spread a flair my wings so that

Large colorful spots do appear,

Like enormous eyes staring at

You, instilling lots of fear.

Instead my wing spread just says, "Hi,"

To you as you go strolling by.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Solution

Human over population

Threatens, and the powers that be

Are resolved something must be done

To thin the herd - humanity.

In order to keep order 'round

The world, the powers thus must find

A death solution, that once found

Can be thrust upon humankind,

Causing the least resistance to

A deemed no fault method to die.

It could be me or could be you,

Just accept it and don't ask why.

Human causing pandemics will

Be the favored method to kill.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Beleaving in You

Oh wondrous sun up in the sky,

You've been with me since I was born.

Without you I would surely die.

I welcome sensing you each morn.

The more I'm rooted on this Earth,

The more I'm branching up and out,

I'm strengthened more thanks to your worth.

You give me nourishment no doubt.

I know on some weathery days

You are behind clouds out of sight,

But then again do share your rays,

And then again I'm in your light.

All of my love to you from me.

You are life giving to this tree.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 A Happy Thought

Some said in the woods she did dwell.

So I went there looking for her,

The famous fairy, Tinkerbell.

Great excitement in me did stir

When she appeared quite suddenly.

I asked her in a polite way

If she would sprinkle dust on me

So I could fly, and she did say

In bell language what I need do.

She sprinkled fairy dust upon

Me, and my great excitement grew

For my first flight phenomenon.

I thought a happy thought and I

Up and over the woods did fly.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Favorite Person

My favorite person's one who

Has been with me all of my life,

Shared all the bad or good I do,

With me in happy times or strife.

I talk to this person each day,

Of desires and schemes I have in mind,

Of ups and downs in work or play,

Of struggles to be mean or kind.

This person knows me inside out,

And knows if I tell truth or lie.

And this person, there is no doubt,

I'll depend on until I die.

Of all persons in my life be,

My favorite person is me.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Slow Burn

My human with wood burning set

Does try the patience of this horse.

No other poser could he get,

So I am the one stuck, of course.

I hear him calling to me, "Ed,"

"How 'bout a wood burning of you?"

I want to trot off but instead

I know I have a task to do.

And so I pose and do a burn

For what seems like eternity.

My fav'rite oats I sure do earn

For my human's wood burn of me.

My human's wood burning design

Shows a quite bad tempered face - mine!

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Risky Behavior

When I was a kid I would do

Lots of stuff that the kids today

Are given dire warnings not to

Put themselves in any harm's way.

I'd go outside and run around,

Get up close to a hornet's nest,

Then roll in the dirt on the ground,

Then climb a tree, my skill to test.

After I was sweaty and hot

I would stop and go get a drink.

Maybe I did take risks a lot,

But those were thoughts I did not think.

Lots of toxins and germs - who knows,

Drinking straight from the garden hose.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Deer Dip - LP Zoo

Pere David's deer, we are so cool,

And we do like water a lot,

So like to hang out at the pool

Especially when days are hot.

For better swimming we've feet that

Has webbing between our toes.

So in watery habitat

We maneuver about as pros.

If there be any fish around,

Using antlers we can flip out

The fish, tossing them to the ground

For fun, they're thrown back in no doubt.

Pere David's deer, a dip we do

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Updated Version

Remember the old Aesop tale

Of ants that constantly did work,

While the grasshopper did avail

Of doing nothing - what a jerk!

Today in twenty twenty one

The grasshopper does nothing still,

While ants still get lots of work done.

All the grasshopper does is chill,

Knowing that the U.S.A. Gov

Will send him food stamps and a check,

And he can take advantage of

The bureaucracy - what the heck!

The ants work and pay Gov its share,

And Gov pays grasshopper welfare.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Seraph Sent

The seraph was the chosen one

For a mission on God's command,

To do a task that must be done

So God might better understand.

It was God's will she fly to Earth

And search for reasons she may find

Whether God's experiment be worth

Continuing with humankind.

She left her place next to God's throne

And flew on six wings Earthward bound.

As numbers of humans had grown,

Also grew the evil, she found.

God reviewed the work done by her.

Another flood? - God was not sure.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Wine and Cheese

Most do say it happened in France

Several centuries ago,

Wine and cheese on purpose or chance

Were served together in duo.

Since then the pair often show up

For parties gathered big and small,

Cheese to nibble and wine to sup,

Providing good mouthfeel for all.

Modern science studies conclude

Both wine and cheese happen to be

Examples of "brain" drink and food,

Inspiring cognitivity.

So more I age, more I say,  "Please,"

"Do serve me up some wine and cheese."

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Rise and Fall of River Phoenix

River Phoenix gained early fame,

Actor, musician, activist.

Rising success flowed from his name,

Elite on Hollywood's A List.

Squeaky clean image he'd portray

As he moved up in his career.

And then he came back to L.A.

For Dark Blood in which he'd appear.

Outside the nightclub Viper Room,

A cocaine/heroin o.d.

Seized River Phoenix to his doom,

Dead at the age of 23.

1993, Halloween

Was River Phoenix' final scene.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Blaming the Dog

My boss stopped by my house so that

She could pick up a file that I

Had worked on in my habitat

While being a work from home guy.

I'd just finished a spicy meal,

And while we're chatting, suddenly

In my lower bowels I did feel

An explosion about to be.

The gas did pass without a sound,

But quickly the awful smell came,

Filling all nostrils all around.

I told my boss the dog's to blame.

Done with my blaming monologue,

I remembered I had no dog.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Jack Frost

I am called Jack Frost, artist who,

When cold weather does come to pass,

Creates my works of art that do

Be later found on exposed glass.

I take the moisture from the air

And on the glass do spread it out,

So through the night it freezes there,

Leaving art patterns all about.

Fern like the patterns often be,

That glisten like jewels in the light,

Welcoming passersby to see

My masterpiece done overnight.

In early morn you find my yield

That you must scrape from the windshield.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 False Asphodel

A false asphodel I be named,

A plant living 'long the west coast

Of North America, now famed

For a secret I now can boast,

Thanks to the humans finding out

That my pretty white flowers do

Entice insects that be about,

And then my stalk acts as a glue.

The bugs come on me and get stuck,

And then are forced to stay for lunch,

Mine that is, as I have potluck,

Eating bugs in plantiful munch.

Humans never noticed before,

I am a rare plant carnivore.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Life Stages

It took some work then she was free,

Breaking through the barrier that

Had held her for a while, and she

Began life in new habitat.

All she wanted to do was eat.

Instinctively food was her job.

Moving about on tiny feet,

She found the food and ate a gob.

And through some time, bigger she grew.

She found a place quite opportune

To stay a while, as she just knew

She needed rest in her cocoon.

The caterpillar knew not why,

But soon would be a butterfly.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 You Win

You know the doctor told you to

Stick to the diet you are on.

But you will not, so what to do!

I took your dentures, they are gone,

And given back to you when I

Can watch you closely as you eat,

And with your diet you comply.

I've no choice but admit defeat.

Late night while I was fast asleep,

You found a way to cheating dine.

Sneakily, not making a peep,

You fingered then mouthed dentures - mine!

So you are armed with teeth to bite,

A legend in your own fridge light.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 First for Liz

Elizabeth Taylor did hate

The film that gave her Oscar one,

The drama called BUtterfield 8.

Under contract that had to run

With MGM, she had no choice

But play the leading call girl role.

With her best looks and her best voice,

Best Actress was primary goal.

And 1961 for sure,

After a fainting spell backstage,

Best Actress Oscar went to her,

Elizabeth was all the rage.

About the film, after some drinks,

She replied, "I still say it stinks."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Color Change

A blue jay and an orange cat

Did come together in a field,

Then caught in a tornado  that

With a tremendous force did wield

Orange fur and blue feathers fly

Around and round through swirling air.

Down to the ground, up to the sky

The cat and jay thrown ev'rywhere.

At last the fearful storm did cease,

Sparing the cat and the jay too.

A look of awe they shared apiece,

When noticing each other's hue.

Then each did go on their own way,

A blue cat and an orange jay.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 My Destiny

Chicago's now a time and place

Where any kind of crime does pay.

Most of it is black on black race,

And "The Man" looks the other way.

Being a young black guy like me

There's few choices and none are good.

The gang is where I have to be

For my survival in the hood.

I do whatever must be done,

Whatever is best for my gang.

And it is best done with a gun.

I do my job and with a bang.

The time I get is not a lot.

Odds are that soon I will be shot.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 First Intimacy

Such a safe, warm place this does seem.

I drift from sleep to waking time,

Not sure of what is real or dream.

I watch myself and know that I'm

Moving about, ceiling to floor,

Giving a kick once in a while.

Being curious to explore

This place but wondering when I'll

Become too big to remain here.

It won't be long and I'll outgrow

This cozy space, for me so dear.

Wherever from here will I go?

The time has come, I need more room.

I'm ready to leave Mama's womb.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Pere David's Deer - LP Zoo

Pere David's Deer, I am a new

Ambassador arriving at

My new home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Getting used to my habitat.

From China originally,

My kind in the wild are extinct.

Now we're bred in captivity,

Keeping the ties to the past linked.

My coat in summer's reddish tan

Changing in winter to dull grey.

Often in the water I can

Be found swimming my time away.

Next time when at the Zoo you be,

Stop by my place and visit me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Fringe Leaf Frog - LP Zoo

A fringe leaf frog, I have come new

As resident in time and place

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Connecting with you face to face.

The Amazon rain forests be

Where my species of frog comes from,

Living in the high canopy,

Never to the ground do we come.

Thus, in the wild, human contact

Is a very rare thing indeed.

But we coexist - that's a fact.

Humans can help us, if agreed.

I look forward to seeing you

Next time you're visiting the Zoo.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Discovering - LP Zoo

Djeke, gorilla two year old,

Is in his outside habitat.

What discoveries might unfold

Hidden under all the leaves that

Djeke with sharp senses might find,

Causing him to react in joy!

He pulls back leaves and looks behind.

Quite an inquisitive young boy,

Looking through the leaves patiently.

Djeke is on a mission to

Discover treasure hidden be,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Something fun he discovers - yup!

To the world he gives a thumbs up!

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 My Greatest Fear

My greatest fear is fear of death.

First thing I do when I wake up

Is check if I still have a breath,

And when I do, so relieved - yup!

I know that ev'rybody dies,

But maybe somehow I will be

An exception that will arise

For me for immortality.

I hope this, as once more I sleep,

And into dreamland again go.

But this time I go extra deep,

When wake up time comes - oops, oh oh!

And now that I find myself dead,

I'll find another fear instead.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Listening In - LP Zoo

Chat 'twixt and 'tween polar bears two,

Talini and Siku, are heard

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Humans hang on every word.

From body language hard to tell

If the exchange is good or bad.

A time of tense or all is well?

Be the bears happy or be mad?

If the bears want more privacy

They will take the matter indoor,

Where away from humans they be,

And continue their chat some more.

Eavesdropping in their habitat,

The bears are well aware of that.