Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Machali

Machali, Bengal tigress, who

Did live in an India park,

The oldest living tigress to

Live in the wild, she made her mark

Over her twenty year lifespan.

She mothered many litters that

Did increase the park's tiger clan

In the large park shared habitat.

Well known for her ferocity

In protecting her cubs from harm,

She became a celebrity,

Attracting tourists with her charm.

World renowned as a tigress champ,

India gave her her own stamp.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 R.L.S. R.I.P.

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote

The verse of Requiem to be

Carved into his gravestone to note

That he remain in memory.

Stevenson felt gladness of will

To live in a fulfilling roam,

Over the sea, over the hill.

But then to make his journey home

When it came time for him to die.

There in a grave he wished to stay

Under a wide and starry sky,

And do so in remembered way.

Death came to Stevenson before

He'd finished his year 44.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Old Bachelors Beware

Tale of "Arsenic and Old Lace,"

Abby and Martha Brewster were

Spinster sisters of charm and grace

Who were on a mission for sure.

To lonely old bachelors, they

Would rent a room so as to bring

To each old guy during his stay

An end to his life suffering.

They'd commit murders by design.

To each bachelor they'd present

Arsenic in a glass of wine,

Then bury him in the basement.

The sisters at end of the tale

Were sent to live at Happydale.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 New Do

I took Miss Kitty to be groomed.

She does not like to have this done,

And gave that look of being doomed.

But she was a fur matted one.

The normal groomer was not there.

There was a new guy they'd just hired,

Supposedly an artist with hair.

Miss Kitty got him so inspired.

When I returned Miss Kitty be

A sight, I thought that I'd drop dead.

"Told you so" look she gave to me.

There was a wig upon her head.

I was astounded to see that

Miss Kitty now was a "bob" cat.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 The Fox and the Grapes

An old fable by Aesop talks

Of a tale that is meant to teach.

Through the woods walks a hungry fox,

And sees some nice grapes out of reach.

He tries to climb to no avail.

He tries to grab the grapes by leap.

In all efforts the fox does fail.

His exasperation runs deep.

He walks away in mood dour,

Muttering that he is better off.

Most likely those grapes are sour,

Not worth his while, the fox does scoff.

The moral of this fable does be,

Don't fantasize reality.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Ellen and William Craft

Slaves, Ellen and William Craft, in

1848 did escape

Georgia, thanks to Ellen's light skin

And disguise in a young man's shape.

For months the married couple planned

On ways and means that Ellen would

Appear as a young white man and

As William's owner, the two could

Leave the South successfully

And travel to the North where they

Were able to live their lives free.

Decades later there came the day,

The Crafts returned to Georgia where

They taught the newly freed blacks there.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Zenobia

Zenobia was a queen who

Stepped in as regent for her son

To govern Palmyra to do

What Rome did tell her needed done,

In the third century, A.D.

When the Roman empire did rule,

And Queen Zenobia did be,

In time and place, a useful tool.

For reasons not quite clearly known,

She got herself on Rome's bad side.

Rome's armies forced her from her throne.

An unqueened Zenobia died.

In Syria of modern day,

She's depicted in a good way.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Umbrella Shared

She said to me, "Hey young fella,"

As I was walking in the rain,

"You wanna share my umbrella?"

And I found love, simple and plain.

We both were walking to grade school,

But I sure remember that day.

I knew I was Mr. Right who'll

Always be her man come what may.

We remained sweethearts through childhood,

And got married, each a late teen.

For sixty years life has been good,

Sharing lots of love 'twixt and 'tween.

Some rainy days, a walking pair

Still with that umbrella to share.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 A Child of Mine

I do not tell you how to live.

I only ask that you just try,

When taking from me all I give,

To live with love until you die.

Your time with me will not be long.

Please do your best while you're with me.

I will forgive when you are wrong,

And will give thanks when right you be.

As you grow into adulthood,

Our hopes and dreams can come true,

If you become a force for good.

Know I am always here for you.

Under my care to death from birth,

You are a child of Mother Earth.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Harvey Meets Elwood

Harvey, the pooka, was bored with

His life in Celtic fantasy.

He wanted something more than myth.

He wanted a best friend to be.

As Harvey's magic ways allowed,

He beamed to Small Town, U.S.A.

And there he met Elwood P. Dowd,

And decided with him he'd stay,

And be seen by only Elwood

As a giant white rabbit who,

As best friend, would be very good.

And off to a bar went the two.

Thus came to be the best friendship,

As martinis the two did sip.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Antlered Array

A storm blows through my forest home.

This deer does not mind falling rain,

And so I continue to roam

Through the wetness of my domain.

Suddenly, a flash and a boom,

And I am knocked down to the ground.

At first I have a sense of doom,

But I get up and look around.

I feel a surge of energy,

Much like I felt when a young buck.

Then dawned on me reality

That it is me that lightning struck.

I touch a tree, my antlers spark,

And still are glowing in the dark.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kovu - LP Zoo

West African dwarf crocodile,

I hear the keeper call, "Kovu,"

And I come floating with a smile,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Knowing that it is time for lunch.

And the keeper brings something that

Will be tasty for me to munch.

The last croc in the habitat,

All my sisters and brothers died.

I'm the last in the family,

And keepers keep me satisfied.

In fact they kind of do spoil me.

African Journey is where I

Have residence, so come on by.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Eli Turns 13 - LP Zoo

Eli is a teenager who

Had a birthday, number 13

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Eli's a chimp behind the scene,

Rescued last year from a hard life

Of exploitation and abuse,

Subjected to a lot of strife

For entertainment as excuse.

But now Eli enjoys life at

A place where with other chimps he

Is in a healthy habitat,

A much better future to be.

Eli, Happy 13th Birthday,

And happy that you came to stay.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Wishful Example

In February, '22

Winter Olympics in Beijing,

The dreams of young athletes come true

In skilled athletic competing.

Meanwhile the old powers that be

Take occasion to play their games

Of scoring politically,

To strive to achieve selfish aims.

But the young athletes with their skill

Can show the world the better way

To compete hard but in good will,

Lesson for old powers today.

Young Olympians, you are who

Old world powers should be like you.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Enamored Media

The media loves politics,

To spin the news of left and right,

To get a profitable mix,

With fibs to cloud the truth of light.

The Walter Cronkites of the past

Have been replaced by pundits who

Come and go in revolving cast,

Depending on how well they spew

To fit their current narrative,

The more to lure the public in,

The more bucks the sponsors will give.

Goal's not to inform but to win.

Media, to up ratings share

Spews loads of hype press and hot air.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mutual Benefit

This shark is feared by most around

Me, as through the ocean I roam.

But so called pilot fish abound

About me and do call me home.

These pilot fish and I agree

On a mutual benefit.

I let them remain safe with me.

They in turn help me to stay fit.

The parasites and other stuff

That on my body oft do cling,

The pilot fish eat sure enough.

From them I get routine cleaning.

My teeth are cleaner all because

Pilot fish do not fear my jaws.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Groundhog Day Prediction '22 - LP Zoo

Emma, the otter, was one who

Did come outside on Groundhog Day,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Thumbed up more winter on the way.

At least six weeks of more snow is

Weather Emma is hoping for,

Cuz snow does help her playtime biz

Of  sliding all around galore.

She loves it when her whiskers find

Lots of chilly, crunchy white stuff,

As she plows through the snow with zeal.

Excitement - she can't get enough.

Yes, both Emma's shadow and she

Predict lots more snow otterly.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Golden Arches

The McDonald brothers did make

A pair of golden arches be

Symbol for their eating namesake,

Easy for passersby to see.

These physical arches became

Resized to form the letter "M"

As logo for McDonald's name.

Refined marketing stratagem,

Forming "M" standing side by side.

The golden arches redesigned,

Displayed in McDonald's worldwide,

Ever in the consumers' mind.

McDonald's golden arches be

Part of a golden history.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Jacques and Cousteau - LP Zoo

Afloat, hooded mergansers, two,

Jacques and Cousteau paddle about

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

The two guys showing off no doubt.

Doing some courtship stuff so that

Maybe some gal ducks will be drawn

To the outside pond habitat

For matchmaking phenomenon.

Optimistic, Jacques and Cousteau

Clad in their fine feathered array,

Keep performing their water show,

Hoping for gals to come their way.

And so did the duck guys do well?

As gentlemen they do not tell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Wild Rose

We called her Rose, she lived hog wild

Near our farm in the bayou.

She looked as though she always smiled

When any of us happened to

See her be foraging around,

Looking for tasty roots to eat.

Her snout digging into the ground

Until she came across that treat.

Year after year we did see her.

She must have been old, but who knows.

Rose was a lively gal for sure.

One day we found her dead, sweet Rose.

We found Rose dead on Groundhog Day.

Her time was up, a downed hog gray.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Sunset Shared - LP Zoo

Minato snuggles up with Mom.

Watching the sunset are the two.

It is a peaceful, quiet calm

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Another day is almost done.

The snow monkeys are timing that.

When disappears the setting sun,

Night falls upon the habitat.

So Mom with Minato do take

Some shared moments before they go

For sleeping time and dreams to make,

To sense this day's last sunny glow.

Minato know Mom tells no lies,

And tomorrow the sun will rise.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Euler's Equation

Euler's equation was made by

Leonhard Euler, a hero.

Proof that transcendental is pi

In some math that equals zero.

Like a sonnet capturing love,

This equation is deemed to be

Connection as example of

Math in pure exquisite beauty.

Addition, multiplication,

And exponentiation are

Operations, once each one's done,

Turn the math into a top star.

If asked to explain it to you,

Euler's equation - not a clue!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Umande's Snow Go - LP Zoo

Umande, a gorilla who

Is all hands, all feet in the snow,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Dashing back and forth, to and fro.

It is a time and place for fun.

And Umande does figure that,

As a snow romper, he's the one

To romp around the habitat.

And so Umande, sure enough,

Does a first romp and then encores,

Kickin' through the white, chilly stuff,

Some zestful trippin' on all fours.

Umande's got the will and way

To make the most out of snow play.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Momentary

The nation states have always deemed

Their sovereign right to divide

Land, water, air by power schemed,

Fulfilling that nation state pride,

That for the moment does prevail

In setting borders less or more.

As nation states win, others fail,

Win and lose until the next war.

The nation states' presume to own

What nature gives for free to all.

Wherever any flag is flown

The time will be, that flag will fall.

The Planet Earth does never be

Any nation state property.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Emoji Mood

A smiley face emoji, I

Am usually a quick way to

Denote a positive reply

In communication to you.

My counterpart, a frowny face

Is meant to send a negative

When it is stuck in ending place,

That the sender does want to give

To you about whatever be

The subject at hand. 'Twixt and 'tween,

Would you not rather receive me

With positivity I mean?

This smile says up, whereas that frown

Says that you should be feeling down.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Colorfully - LP Zoo

A golden breasted starling, I

Do a colorful pose, I do,

Whether at perch or on the fly

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Chest and body of golden hue

With here and there splashes of red,

Wings shining in metallic blue,

A purple throat and a green head.

The Bird House is where I am at.

Walk to the back and you can sight

Me in a shared bird habitat.

Look for my colors in Free Flight.

A mix of colors I do be

That all together do make me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Get the Shakes

Under a glass bubble we be

Little pieces of desert stuff,

Some purplish tone, some greenery.

And when the bubble's shook enough

The white sands 'round us whirl about,

Taking some time to settle back.

Must be a human thing no doubt,

Shaking things up, a human knack.

So many fingerprints upon

The glass above reminds us that

We're a must do phenomenon,

To grab and shake this habitat.

We are resigned to shake up fate,

As humans grab this paperweight.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Toothfully - LP Zoo

Pogo, pygmy hippo, does do

A demonstration of teeth brush

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

He takes his time and does not rush,

Brushing his teeth up and down on

The sides of a sturdy box that

Shows this hygiene phenomenon

Of Pogo in his habitat.

After brushing, Pogo has sense

To submerge underwater for

A good gargle and swishing rinse,

Finale for his choppers chore.

For visitors Pogo does share

The importance of good teeth care.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Hay Day - LP Zoo

Hey, Hey, I see some hay, I do,

A hanging in a basket high

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

This giraffe's hungry and so I,

Seeing the hay, think what the heck,

And head on over to the hay.

And then of course I stretch my neck

Till situated in a way

Where it is easy for my tongue

To reach inside the basket so

A bunch of that hay does get sprung,

Down into my tummy to go.

Hey, Hey, it is low matter that

The hay's high in my habitat.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Emily Dickinson

"Because I could not stop for death..."

Emily Dickinson once wrote.

She used writing and saved her breath.

Eccentric, townspeople did note.

Emily preferred life alone,

And when seen, oft was dressed in white.

In poems she would write of her own

Meeting with death and how she might

Then find her immortality.

Unheralded while she was alive,

Her poems were published after she

Met with death at age 55.

Her published poems then brought her fame.

Immortality for her came.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Hour of Plower - LP Zoo

Ozzy is one snow leopard who

Is pondering his plans to make,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

In the snow that is his namesake.

He looks at all of the snow that

Has freshly fallen, chilly white,

All across Ozzy's habitat.

For Ozzy it's a happy sight.

The snow just looks so peaceful now.

So far nothing has disturbed it.

But Ozzy has his plan to plow,

So as his namesake to befit.

And soon the pondered plan does show

As Ozzy plows into the snow.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Name Change

"And Then There Were None," murder she

Wrote - Agatha Christie of fame,

But titled originally

"Ten Little (the N word)" by name.

Taken from an old minstrel song

Sung by children in counting rhyme,

Not then socially deemed as wrong,

It was a dif'rent place and time.

Whether or not Christie did sense

Use of the first title would be

The source and cause of great offense

Remained an unsolved mystery.

Christie did share that this book might

Be her best but so hard to write.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 John Wayne Talk

John Wayne, hero, when I grew up.

"Patriot" was his middle name.

All American straight, white - yup!

National treasure star of fame.

In 1971 he

Did a Playboy mag interview,

Said Native Americans be

Selfish losers who got their due,

Said blacks were inferior till

Whites educated them okay,

Said welfare was a wasteful ill,

Said it was wrong to be fag gay.

Today minorities and young

Protest such talk from John Wayne's tongue.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 No Share Mood - LP Zoo

Jabari, Lion King, does do

Some romping around in the snow,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

And is putting on quite a show.

The keepers give him a new toy

That he can rock and roll around,

Showing off as this golden boy

Frolics over the snowy ground.

His girlfriends want to share in play,

But he is in no mood to share,

Grabbing his toy, roaring, "No way!"

And continues in solitaire.

His paws are busy, snow flakes fly,

Winter fun for Jabari guy.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kaleidoscope

"Kaleidoscope" from ancient Greek,

A term that means beautiful shapes

That can be formed for those who seek

To view such in colorful scapes.

David Brewster did coin the term

In 1817 when he

Applied for patent to confirm

The tube mirrored reflectivity

Of colored glass pieces turned 'round

To reflect back in countless ways,

Multi symmetry to astound

The viewer of the formed arrays.

Simplest are mass produced as toys

For hand held peek that all enjoys.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 War of Ages

The old do send the young to fight

The wars the old think should be fought,

Always of course in name of right

Whether the war be right or not.

And in the war the young do die,

Never to know who lost or won.

Fighting for the old's cause is why

Sacrifice of young must be done.

The young who happen to survive

Grow old themselves until once more

The go to death does come alive,

And old send young again to war.

The vicious cycle of war be

Young future of old history.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 "Marlboro Man"

The Marlboro cigarette brand

In the 1920's began

As a woman's cigarette and

Not marketed to smoking man.

In the 1950's that changed

With the "Marlboro Man" campaign.

Priorities were rearranged

To get the male market share gain.

The smoking, sexy cowboy got

The gals to help convince their men

To switch brands, sales went up a lot.

For decades it was an ad win.

The "Marlboro Man" with his cigarette

Has now ridden off into the sunset.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kids Watch - LP Zoo

"Those two kids - where have they gone to?"

Gorilla Mom, Rollie, does ask

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Keeping track of kids is a task.

Her girl and boy are always at

Play with the other kids who roam

'Round the gorilla habitat,

Safe and friendly place to call home.

Mom sees daughter, Nayembi, up

In a tree with Mondika, son.

Her kids are doing dandy, yup,

As kids should do, just having fun.

Mom, Rollie, has one gal, one guy,

And keeps both under watchful eye.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Posing Pridefully - LP Zoo

Posing are the lion pride who

Pose together  upon a rock

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

To them the picture takers flock.

Jabari, Lion King, holds court

With his three ladies on the scene,

Providing him with royal support.

Which one of them will be his Queen?

Being the gentleman he is,

Jabari has no comment on

Questions of any offspring biz

Resulting from his liaison. 

Hopefully later in the year

Who is the Queen will be made clear.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Moment to Savor

Just waking up from my catnap,

My sense of a bad scent does soar.

That darn dog has left a big crap

Right in the middle of the floor.

One of my humans comes into

The room not happy with the dog

Over the dump of number two,

Shouting a cussing monologue.

The dog looks for someplace to hide,

But the human follows the hound,

Pulling it by collar outside

To where the mutt is dog house bound.

A "purr"fect opportunity

For a big laugh to come from me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Professor

I'm a college professor who

Rides into class on a small bike,

Doing a horn beeping, I do,

Then to the podium on mike.

I teach my class all costumed up.

In black and yellow stripes I'm clad

Like a giant bumblebee - yup!

None of my students deem me mad.

They want to learn what I can teach,

All of my many tells and shows

Into their minds and hearts to reach.

Wisdom behind my red round nose.

The many moods of smiles and frowns,

I teach at the College of Clowns.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Sand Cat

This sand cat loves the desert night.

It's my best hunting time and place.

Quarry rarely escape my bite,

Once I have chosen to give chase.

Though water's scarce I need not much,

And tap most of it from my prey,

Falled victims of my fatal touch,

And unable to get away,

Such as the rodent I just ate

That thought was safely underground,

But only suffered the same fate,

As most rodents that I have found.

I am like Christmas. Why? Because -

I am well known for sandy claws.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Snow Romper - LP Zoo

Red Wolf, Nymeria, does do

Boisterous playing in the snow,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

As Mom watches her daughter's show.

Kids will be kids in snow for sure -

Yes, maybe Mom is thinking that,

While Nymeria is on her

Romp all around the habitat.

Mom knows Nymeria is one

Who loves the opportunity

To make the snow a source of fun,

So Mom lets Nymeria be.

For Mom it is a time and place

To watch daughter and snow embrace.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Pricey Martini

Gorilla went into a bar,

And he ordered a martini.

Bartender thought this was bizarre.

Gorilla offered a twenty.

Bartender mixed the drink and

To see if the gorilla's smart

Returned with just a one in hand.

Gorilla's quiet for his part,

Sitting and sipping on his drink,

Looked at bartender with a grin.

Bartender's not sure what to think,

"Not many gorillas come in."

In reply, gorilla surmised,

"Nineteen bucks a drink - I'm not surprised!"

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Dream Fan

I've been having recurring dreams

Of a soccer match played between

Elephants and mice, and it seems

So real to me watching the scene

Of competition on the field.

Today, I saw my doctor and

This recurring dream I revealed.

My doctor seemed to understand,

Probably just anxiety.

Doc said there was a proper pill,

And wrote a prescription for me.

I said, "Tomorrow I will fill."

"A pill today does not seem right."

"Because the finals are tonight."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Yawn to Go Viral - LP Zoo

This lioness has an urge to

Let out one heck of a big yawn

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

A boring day is going on.

I partied late into last night,

And did not catnap as I should.

So when there came the morning light,

My alertness was not real good.

I did drag myself to my job,

Connecting with the guests so that

They'll be able to take a gob

Of pictures in my habitat.

The picture of me yawning most

Does get prime time on Facebook post.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Glue

When I was in first grade, one day

Class was given some art to do,

Pasting paper in a display,

And I spilled my bottle of glue,

Which flowed all over my desk and

Then began dripping on the floor,

Got on my fingers of each hand.

The kids were laughing more and more.

The teacher helped me clean it up,

But from that day on "Glue" became

What most of the kids called me, yup.

'Twas my one and only nickname.

"Glue," a nickname I did not pick,

But all through school it sure did stick.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Camera Curious - LP Zoo

Thistle and Buttercup on view

By camera behind the scenes,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

To catch some cat like ways and means

The Canada lynx sisters use

To check out curiosity

At keepers leaving certain clues

Of changes to their world that be.

Both close eye the camera that

Is new and is eying them back,

Intrusion in their habitat.

The girls ponder should they attack.

Though in the sisters' eyes off zone,

The camera is left alone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 In the Beginning

Tale of Aboriginal myth

Tells of Great Mother from the sea

Traveled across Australia with

Rainbow Serpent so then would be

The fall of lots of rain so that

Life could thrive on the desert earth,

Making suitable habitat

For letting Great Mother give birth

To the many peoples who would

Throughout this blessed land now roam,

To be a time and place for good,

Ever Aboriginal home.

It is a tale that still is told

Throughout the land  to young from old.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Handy Minato - LP Zoo

Young snow monkey, Minato, who

Is just a couple of months old,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Comes up to Mom, and he does hold

A twig he's picked up from the ground,

And shows it to Mom, so proud that

He is the only one around

With a twig in the habitat.

He offers Mom the twig, and she

Accepts it from her little boy,

Acting a grown up snow monkey,

Filling Minato up with joy.

Becoming dexterous with hands is

Part of snow monkey grow up biz.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 No Robert Frost

I'm driving on a country road,

Heading for a village to do

Some business stuff, but now it's snowed

Deep, I get stuck while driving through

Some woods, and now I find my phone

Has got no bars to call for aid.

Not a good time for a dead zone.

A day of promise starts to fade.

My being late no doubt will mean

A lot of money will be lost.

Prisoner in this winter scene,

I do not feel like Robert Frost.

I remember a farmhouse back.

Hope I can follow my tire track.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 The Violinist

While waiting in her dressing room

The violinist got the news.

Her long love had just met his doom.

By car wreck, his life he did lose.

Outside, the concert hall was filled

To hear the violinist who

Was world renowned for being skilled

At making music dreams come true.

With reason to cancel for sure,

She chose to go on stage and play,

Bearing such loss endured by her,

The violin would be her way.

Through pain and grief she played her all.

Her music magic filled the hall.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Rubies

Ruby Rose and Ruby Marie

Met as two strangers on a train.

While talking, they found out each she

Was having lots of hubby pain.

They decided that each one would

Murder the other's hubby so

During each crime the other could

Have an alibi apropos.

Ah, it was a gem of a plan

That the two Rubies agreed on,

Ridding each other of their man.

Each one's hubby pain would be gone.

Each Ruby killed the other's him,

Who by the way was each named Jim.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Walkin' Takin - LP Zoo

Kalsang in his fur coat does do

A walk outside in weather cold

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Warm enough in his coat of gold.

The takin takin' such a stroll

Is not unusual for him.

He plays a picture takin' role.

Pix taken lots by human whim.

So patiently Kalsang does pose

To let his picture takin' be.

From experience Kalsang knows

Takin' pictures is humanly.

Pictures taken of the takin

Happens when Kalsang's out walkin.'

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Valentine's Day Exchange

A single red rose given of

Feelings felt on Valentine's Day,

A simple gift for teenage love,

He offers her in fine display.

Dressed up for the occasion, he

Is perhaps a bit nervous, and

Is apprehensive whether she

Will take the rose held in his hand.

These awkward moments for the young

In the during of give and take,

Uncertain in gesture and tongue,

Will his heart be happy or ache?

She takes the rose he offers her

And smiles, and he is glad for sure.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Ophelia

Ophelia, noble and young,

Does seek Prince Hamlet for her own,

Flirtatious in both look and tongue,

She makes her love for Hamlet known.

But Hamlet shows disdain for her,

And says their marriage will not be.

Ophelia goes mad for sure,

And climbs into a willow tree.

A branch breaks and into a brook

Ophelia does fall and die.

Whether or not her life she took,

Shakespeare does not give a reply.

In Shakespeare's time Ophelia be

Played by a male actor most likely.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Color Mars Purple!

The Perseverance rover roves

The Mars landscape and does find that

Purple is splashed on rocks in droves,

'Round the red planet habitat.

What does this purple on red mean?

Scientists scratch their theory heads.

Could ancient life have been on scene,

Showing now as purples on reds?

The rover's taking samples so

The puzzled scientists can do

Closer studies to maybe show

What makes Mars red have purple hue.

How purple and past life equate -

We on Earth will just have to wait.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 On the Job - LP Zoo

This lion's lyin' on a rock

Till there's something better to do.

I am on the connecting clock

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Visitors come and I know that

Making them happy is my job.

They see me in my habitat,

And "ooh" and "aah" at me a gob.

Many of them call out my name,

"Hey Jabari, please look my way."

My mood determines if I'm game

Whether or not to make their day.

After lyin' a while I'll take

Some quiet time and well earned break.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Djeke's  Point of View - LP Zoo

An oft upside down point of view

Has young gorilla Djeke boy

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

As hanging out he does enjoy.

With hands and feet grabbed on ropes that

Are ways and means of to and fro,

Djeke swings through his habitat,

Inverted in his come and go,

Seeing his world as he swings by

In a turned topsy turvy form.

But okay for this little guy,

Where  upside down is just his norm.

Djeke sees the visitors, yup,

Their heads are down, their feet are up.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Parting Aubade

Sweet love, in light of morning dawn,

Time has come for me to depart.

But I linger to gaze upon

Your sleeping face that fills my heart

With all the passion that we shared

Over the hours of last night.

Cupid ordained that we be paired,

As our limbs entangled tight

In fulfillment of ecstasy

Brought about in climactic bliss.

Coming together, you and me,

I say farewell with one last kiss.

Time 'twixt and 'tween I will count down

Till next your husband's out of town.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Double Intrusion

A grain of sand gets stuck in me,

Causing an irritation - damn!

And so does respond my body

To give some relief to this clam.

I use some of the same stuff that

Is used in making of my shell.

This stuff flows to where the sand's at,

And coats over the sand real well.

Layer after layer of stuff

Goes 'round the sand and forms a ball.

As the time has gone by enough,

I feel much better after all.

But humans make my life awhirl,

Grabbing this thing they call a pearl.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 In Agreement

Together woodland creatures be

Feathered and furred they join to share

A moment of serenity.

In water, on land and in air

The creatures were in time and place

Harmonious in gathering,

Safe under Mother Nature's grace.

The beasts do hum, the birds do sings,

Their melodies on gentle breeze

Beseech a come together call,

And are carried through woodland trees

In sounds of music made by all.

Appearing be a human one,

All of the woodland creatures run.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Drink Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola, invented in

Eighteen eighty five did contain

Extracts of the coca leaf then,

Which plain and simple was cocaine.

The "cola" in the name did mean

Coming from the kola nut which

Did contain a lot of caffeine.

A "medicine" was one sales pitch.

All this was legal at the time.

Sellers of Coca-Cola could

Make claims without proof and no crime.

Drink Coca-Cola and feel "good."

The Coca-Cola feel "good" claim

Soon did make it a household name.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Siku Goes Fishing - LP Zoo

Fish in the air does sniff Siku,

And so the polar bear posthaste,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Heads for where he knows he can taste

A keeper supplied nice treat that

Siku can fish for in the pool

In the polar bear habitat.

The thought of fresh fish makes him drool.

With accurate, quick swipe of paw

Siku does grab hold of a fish

That goes to bear mouth from bear claw,

A pass time Siku  finds delish.

Going fishing is Siku's way

Of a for sure catch of the day.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Get Dad's Attention - LP Zoo

Bros, Mondika and Djeke, do

Another round of wrasslin' 'round

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Quite a familiar sight and sound.

Always a competition had

'Twixt and 'tween the gorillas that

Is a daily show off for Dad,

Watching them in the habitat.

As long as the young brothers play

Happily and not causing harm,

Dad does let them wrassle away,

Letting his boys show off their charm.

Mondika and Djeke do be

Two wrasslers fun to hear and see.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Swan Lake

There be a ballet called Swan Lake,

Where a lovely white swan does dwell

During the night, but at daybreak

The swan transforms, due to a spell,

Into a human for the day,

The beautiful woman, Odette.

A prince happens to come her way,

And the two do dance a duet,

Dancing until the day goes by.

Odette does hope the spell is done.

But then her prince does sadly die,

Leaving Odette a lonely one.

With her true love now dead and gone,

Odette turns back into a swan.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Idiomatic Advice

A little birdie told me you

Are bragging busy as a bee.

You hold your horses I say true.

Lots of ants in your pants I see.

The world is your oyster you dream.

Off on a wild goose chase you go

To grab the lion's share by scheme,

Yet not get your ducks in a row.

This makes me mad as a hornet,

When you open a can of worms.

Your pigheadedness - I scorn it.

Don't have a cow hearing these terms.

Watching you like a hawk am I.

You'd better let sleeping dogs lie.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Squat Down and One Up

Two busy billionaires do meet.

Suddenly a beeping sound's there.

The first billionaire in conceit

Just starts talking into the air.

After she's completed the call,

She explains that she has a chip

Installed inside her head quite small.

It cost a fortune she does quip,

But's so much better than a phone.

The second billionaire replies

He has a marvel of his own,

And drops his pants to her surprise.

In a squat he says, "Just relax,"

"I'm only waiting for a fax."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 "I Have a Dream..."

Nineteen sixty three was the year,

August twenty eighth was the day,

Martin Luther King, Jr. here

In Washington, D,C, did say

"I have a dream..." He spoke of yets,

Of yets We the People could,

We could resolve the past regrets.

America could change for good.

Equality could become true,

Not just a writing on a creed.

We the People could really do

All's freedom and justice indeed.

If We the People heed his speech,

Then We can learn what King could teach.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Unwise Last Words

I was arguing with my wife.

Tempers were getting out of hand.

I said to her, "Too short is life."

"We need to come to understand"

"That there's nothing we can't work out,"

"If we respect each other's view."

My words did calm my wife no doubt.

I continued, "All we need do -"

"Make sure our arguments end"

"With both smiling and neither frown."

"For any rip there is a mend."

"Dear, all you need do is calm down."

From the jaws of victory sweet

I had snatched a sour defeat.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 On the Loose

I am so glad I'm free at last.

It was so boring stuck at home.

Lots of new stuff I'm moving past.

It feel adventurous to roam.

I'm in some sort of tunnel that

Is filled with smelly, yellow stuff,

Flipping me like an acrobat,

Smacking the walls, but I am tough.

All in all it's a bumpy ride

As through the tunnel I do go.

I'll let destiny be my guide,

Just relax and go with the flow.

I hear a lot of cry and moan

As out does pop this kidney stone.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Thisbe and Pyramus

Thisbe and Pyramus did be

Young lovers who were kept apart.

Through a wall did plan she and he

A secret meeting of the heart.

Thisbe arrives first but from fear

Does run away leaving her cloak

Which, when Pyramus does appear,

Seems to show Thisbe's blood in soak.

Thinking her dead, Pyramus grabs

His sword and plunges in his chest.

Thisbe then finds him dead and stabs

The sword into her, both now rest.

The wall between them now is gone.

Thisbe and Pyramus love on.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Playing Mommy

My Mommy left an open book,

Then she went to talk on her phone.

So I sat down to have a look,

And pretend the book was my own.

It would be fun to play grownup

Like Mommy was, and so I read

Page after page, like Mommy, yup,

Till all that reading hurt my head.

I did wonder why Mommy had

Thought reading this book would be fun.

I'd lost her place, would she be mad?

Well, she knows me - what's done is done!

I got bored when I found that there

Was not one picture anywhere.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Stone Age Venuses

The "Stone Age Venuses" did be

Small figurines of females found

Throughout Europe locality,

Carved with breasts and bellies swelled round.

The theory is the statues were

Made in order to symbolize

Importance that childbirth occur.

Being only inches in size,

The statues could be carried by

The humans as reminders that

Species reproduction was why

They be in their cave habitat.

And they were right to feel that way,

Reproducing to us today.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Siku the Hunter - LP Zoo

By instinct, polar bear, Siku,

Regards a plastic tub as prey

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

The tub is his catch of the day.

Though Siku has never been out

In the wild, somehow he knows that

He is a seal hunter no doubt.

There's no seal in his habitat,

And so Siku does what's next best,

Using genetic hunting skill.

His giant paws are firmly pressed

For scoring a plastic tub kill.

A plastic tub fatality,

A mighty hunter Siku be.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 I'll Be Back

I walked through a blizzard of snow

Just to get back and be with you.

But then you told me I must go,

Words that turned me ever more blue

Than I'd gotten from outside cold.

I begged on bended knee to stay,

But you had no mercy and told

Me that I had to go away.

So back into the blizzard, I

Left with a broken heart to bear.

That heart just stopped and I did die,

My last thought thinking would you care?

But now back with you I do be,

Yours forever haunted by me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Udderly Mom Focused

The reason I make milk's so that

My offspring can have nourishment

In my dairy farm habitat.

As a Mom, this cow is content

To share the milk I daily make

With the humans who have use for

My extra made milk and do take

And turn into products galore.

After I have a new calf, I

Continue to make milk until

Enough growing up time goes by,

My calf no longer needs refill.

I make more milk than my young need.

I am a generous Mom indeed.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Is This the Year?

The year is twenty twenty two.

That many years have come and gone

Since your Father sent you to do

His work of bringing faith upon

The world of humans filled with sin.

For thirty three years you did live

To share a faith that did begin

A worldwide calling to forgive.

Your mortal form in time and place

Was relatively short in span.

But with your death you caused God's grace

To continue for sinning man.

Is this the year that God will say

The time has come for Judgement Day?

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" be

A folk song Pete Seeger began

In 1955 when he

Was branded a blacklisted man.

In the sixties this Seeger song

Was sung in protest to the war

In Vietnam many deemed wrong.

The message sent forevermore

That all the flowers had gone to

Be laid upon all the graves of

The soldiers now not living due

To choices made of hate not love.

The question posed by this song will

Be asked of all wars since and still.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Profile of Caesar

Julius Caesar was profiled

On coins in 44 B.C.,

The firmest evidence compiled

Of what Caesar looked like really.

A wrinkled neck under gaunt face,

A laurel wreath positioned so

To cover up the bald hair space,

Unflattering image to show.

Why did Caesar ever okay

Such a look of him to be shown?

As one who had quite a vain way,

The answer to that is not known.

Maybe he had too much on mind,

About to be stabbed from behind.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 William Tell

There is a legend that does tell

Of William Tell who did gain fame

For skill to shoot a crossbow well,

Hitting the mark where he would aim.

Arrested by powers that be,

Tell was to face execution,

Which included Tell's family,

Specifically, his young son.

As an alternative instead,

Tell was given the option to

Shoot an apple off his son's head,

Which Tell successfully did do.

Whether this legend's true or not,

It tells of one hell of a shot.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Huddle of Cuddle - LP Zoo

A January chilly day

Makes for a close encounter to

Be the favored snow monkey way

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

It is a fitting time and place,

Chicago in winter gets cold,

So bodies to heat up, embrace

Together tightly, young and old.

It is a simple way for fur

Coated to hang real close so that

There be a coziness for sure

While in the outside habitat.

The snow monkeys do huddle up

Together in close cuddle up.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Notre Dame Gargoyle

I was a gargoyle made of stone

On the roof of Notre Dame church,

A symbol in the sacred zone

Of evil sitting on my perch,

Reminding those that saw me there

To seek divine goodness inside,

But of evil ever beware,

My kind be ready to misguide.

I also served the purpose of

Diverting rainwater away

From causing damage from above.

Served centuries until one day,

It was not water but was fire

That forced me to early retire.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Hmm

In the woods from my cabin, I

Looked out the window at the snow.

In it, I wondered how and why

An imprinted labyrinth did show

In swirl of  circling pattern that

From an inward point revolved out,

Almost reaching my habitat.

This was a mystery no doubt.

I saw no footprints to suggest

Some animal did be the cause.

Perhaps a UFO had pressed

Upon the snow in travel pause.

Maybe Mother Nature did send

Me an artwork brushed by her wind.