Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 A"stone"ment

I did mistakenly write "piece"

When "peace" is what I meant to write.

Arrested by grammar police,

The hand of judgment down did smite'

Court of opinion I did face.

Punctuated sentence I got,

Then taken to a public place

Where stones were thrown at me a lot.

Even my family was there,

Throwing stones at me with the rest.

This only caused me more despair.

My crime was badder than I'd guessed.

All piece of mind was gone as I

Had to watch peaces of me fly.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 The Egg and Lie

The Easter Bunny happened to

Meet a chicken crossing the road.

The hen did look a little blue,

And so the Easter Bunny showed

A brightly colored egg he had,

And asked if the hen would please take

This egg, and the hen was so glad

Of such a nice gesture to make,

That she did plant a thank you peck

Upon the Easter Bunny's cheek,

But knowing she would face some heck

When her rooster did get a peek.

So later when confronted by

Her rooster, the hen laid a lie.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Blast from the Past

The old vending machine once sold

A piece of chocolate for just

A penny to the young and old,

Who felt the craving and so must

Have found the time and penny to

Make a purchase from the machine,

That never paid attention who

Was the buyer, no need to screen.

Back then only one choice to pick,

Single piece of chocolate sweet.

If not delivered, then a kick.

If delivered, a joy to greet.

But chocoholic dreams do cease -

Paying one penny for one piece!

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Sun Shine in Spring

The poem, "A Light Exists in Spring,"

By Emily Dickinson shines.

Her belief the sunshine does bring

In Spring's season wondrous designs

That science and religion be

Unable to prove any way

Nature's awesome divinity,

That shines on any new Spring day.

We humans each should venture out

Into the light brought in Spring time,

And sense all essence without doubt,

Joy the only reason and rhyme.

Emily helps give us insight

To join in Spring time's sun delight.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Bloomers

Activist, Amelia Bloomer,

In mid 1800's believed

Women's fashion, more than rumor,

Ill fit, needing to be relieved

Of what was tight and painful wear.

So Amelia did take the chance,

Prompted by making of a dare,

And wore what she called harem pants.

And when she would walk in the wind,

Her legs would look like parachutes.

Apprehensive she might ascend,

She weighted down with heavy boots.

The bloomers phase went on a while,

But like most fads went out of style.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 My Bells

I hear the ringing of the bells

Of all the doors into my mind.

There's where my anxiety dwells.

I am fearful of what I'll find,

Causing all of my bells to ring.

Sometimes it's fiction, sometimes fact,

Intruding in my space to bring

God knows what thoughts or how I'll act.

All of these ringers put me through

These wringers of feeling no hope.

My bells of hell's potential do

Make me so desperate to cope.

I want my bells' ringing to stop.

Some anxiety pills I pop.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Hot Air

Year after year talk gooders talk

About how climate change is worse,

But very few do walk the walk

If do gooding lessens their purse.

Of course talk gooders like to spend

Somebody else's money to

Bring climate warming to an end.

Talk gooders want others to do

The difficult expensive stuff

That will need to be done so that

Bad habits can be changed enough

To help the climate habitat.

Year after year talk gooders share

A lot of words, polluting air.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Why Jesus Died

The Bible tells us long ago

By human hand Jesus did die.

But Jesus beseeched God and so

Jesus' death and rebirth was why

God then decided to forgive

The humans for their evil ways.

God allowed humankind to live,

And hoped there would come better days.

But many days have come and gone.

Does Jesus still beseech God to

Forgive what is still going on?

So much evil, humans still do.

How much longer will God deem worth

Humans creating hell on Earth?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 I to the Sky

As a dandelion I do

Represent the heavens above.

I am an Earth grounded plant who

Gives celestial bodies my love.

The white puff ball of my seeds show

The shape and color of the moon.

And when I do let my seeds go,

It's like the heaven's stars I've strewn.

And when my flower does forth shine

In round and yellow glory bright.

Tribute to the sun, my design,

Brings this "weed" a lot of delight.

My life cycle phases do be

My way to live celestially.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 The Buffalo

Upon the Great Plains they did roam,

Magnificent in size and shape,

Sharing with first peoples their home.

The buffalo filled the landscape.

Relied on their bodies to give

Life essentials to peoples graced

By buffalo so as to live.

None of buffalo went to waste.

The spirit of the buffalo

Was praised by first peoples so that

All good brought by nature would flow

Through the Great Plains shared habitat.

Intruders came in time and place,

Slaughtered buffalo in disgrace.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kjeragbolten

On Kjerag mountain in Norway

A big boulder lodged 'twixt and 'tween

Two rock formations there to lay,

For humans to climb on the scene,

And stand upon the boulder top,

And maybe even do a dance,

So that this awesome photo op

Can all the more take on enhance.

Over thirty two hundred feet

Straight down into the river is

The deep measure of fall to greet

A human in the stumble biz.

Someday Mother Nature will call,

And the boulder itself will fall.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Find Walden Pond

Date born, Henry David Thoreau,

July 12th, 1817,

Cherished  Walden Pond long ago.

Is Walden Pond still on the scene?

Yes, in a Massachusetts Park,

Where on a hot day in July

Bunches of people do embark

To have fun at the beach - or try!

Backed up traffic causes delay.

A lot of noise and trash around.

A simpler life - there is no way

If today, one's Walden Pond bound.

Now, Thoreau's Walden Pond to find

Is just a daydream of the mind.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Leap Year Winner

On ev'ry leap year date there'd be

In my village at 10p.m.

A drawing for a lottery.

The losers would then bring mayhem

Upon the winner, him or her,

Chasing the winner through the streets,

The winner always caught for sure.

The winner then endured the beats

By the losers with sticks and stones,

Causing the winner's blood to drain,

All skin ripped off of broken bones,

Just bits and pieces would remain.

I watch the drawing being done.

This leap year winner - I'm the one.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Housewarming

Housewarming is when hosts invite

Guests to celebrate a new home,

Occasion for all to delight

As about the house all do roam.

The term "housewarming" did come from

Days of past when houses did need

Fireplaces from which heat would come.

So firewood was required indeed.

As to what kind of gift to bring,

Each guest would bring firewood in arm,

And the hosts welcomed such a thing

To assure keeping the house warm.

With central heating, gifts for such

Did not include firewood so much.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Barb Wire

Farmers and ranchers long desire

To fence the property they own.

Most economical is wire

To indicate do not cross zone.

In the 1800's wild west

Cattle biz in the U.S.A.,

It was found that barb wire was best

So cattle would not roam astray.

Just wire alone the cattle could

Easily press against and through,

And with such will the cattle would.

So the stringing of barb wire grew.

When barb wire was pushed by a cow,

Resulting prick did bring an "Ow!"

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Meliponine Bees

The meliponine bees do be

Found all throughout the Amazon.

Though stingless they bite easily

When they perceive there's threats upon.

Miracle honey they produce,

Not just as food but medicine

Which the locals put to good use

For food and cures time and again.

And like most bees, these bees also

Help plants by flying to and from,

With pollination as they go.

Bee visits be very welcome.

The meliponine  bees serve well

The Amazon in which they dwell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Salt Search

This butterfly's most fav'rite food

Is flower nectar, and so I

Am very often in the mood

To land on flowers as I fly.

But my instinct does tell me that

I need to ingest salt also,

Not found in flower habitat.

So other places I must go.

Most often mud puddles be where

I find the salt that I do need.

But I spy a spot from the air

That does look less messy indeed.

Could be some salt there I suppose,

So I land on a fox's nose.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Ricko  R.I.P - LP Zoo

An eastern black rhinoceros

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Sometimes outside he made a fuss,

Because he was a rhino who

Doted on all attention got

By keepers when he was inside.

The keepers spoiled Ricko a lot.

Attention getting he sure tried.

Three thousands pounds, he was a joy

For the keepers to take care of,

Easy to pamper this big boy,

Many years of mutual love.

Ricko the rhino's passed away.

Ever fond memories will stay.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Sarcopenia

"Sarcopenia" my doc told me

Is what my aging body's got.

Comes from Greek for flesh poverty,

Guess my muscles are poor a lot.

Causes for sarcopenia still

Watched to be better understood.

But the older I get I will

Be more prone than the younger would.

Having sarcopenia now is

Termed as a muscle loss disease,

So that doc is minding my biz

Puts me a little more at ease.

Doc told me that it would be wide

To do more proper exercise.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Cemented in Time

Warren Brothers from Boston, Mass.

Were cementers of sidewalk scene,

To walk upon by lad and lass.

One job done in 1915,

A year that World War I be fought,

But not the U.S. as of yet,

Where life  seemed to go on as ought,

Impatience watching cement set.

Warren Brothers, to advertise,

Placed a marker upon their job.

It was an age to modernize

The walkways that were walked a gob.

Soon soldiers walked there more and more,

As the U.S. entered the war.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Ape Swing - LP Zoo

This gorilla does like to do

Some rope swinging from time to time

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

There are fake trees that I can climb,

And grab ropes hanging 'twixt and 'tween,

As then I do play acrobat

In a hand over hand routine,

Up high above the habitat.

Very confidant I do be.

There is not any safety net,

Just the hard ground is below me.

But so far I've not fallen yet.

A swinger of which songs I sing,

As through the air you see me swing.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Teasing Ap"peel" - LP Zoo

I read a poem, "Banana School,"

By Billy Collins who contends

That apes and monkeys as a rule

Peel bananas by other ends

Than the ends that humans prefer.

So I went to Lincoln Park Zoo

To test if this theory was sure.

Lots of unpeeling I did do

In front of monkeys and of apes.

They watched me as I did unpeel,

But all seemed a bit out of shapes

That no reward was in the deal.

I gobbled each banana down,

And each monkey and ape did frown.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Alternative Epilogue

The great white whale, I'm Moby Dick.

A book was written about me.

Also there's been many a flick.

Here's how the tale's ending did be.

Old orn'ry Captain Ahab caught

In his harpoon rope he had tossed,

He needed a lesson be taught.

For me a slight bitter taste cost.

I shook him loose and gulped him in.

My four ton tongue did lash him bad,

Removing from him all his skin,

Till his peg leg was all he had.

Not worth added heartburn no doubt,

Ahab leftover, I spit out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Named for Two Fathoms

Samuel Langhorne Clemens did do

Some piloting of a steamboat

Up and down the Mississipp, true!

So as a writer he did note

He should come up with a new name

That rolled better off of the tongue,

Give him a legacy of fame

Among the reading old and young.

Remembering his river days,

That two fathoms or twelve feet be

Safe depth for sail through river ways.

Seeing mark two meant boat safety.

Famous stature he did attain,

Writing under the name, Mark Twain.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 By the Tails - LP Zoo

Howler monkeys are monkeys who

Know how and when to use their tails

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo

When opportunity avails.

On tree limbs the keepers hang out

Feeder bins positioned so that

Getting down to goodies no doubt

Required skills of an acrobat.

Each monkey tail wrapped 'round each branch

Allowed them to swing low enough,

Giving their long armed hands the chance

To grab out the tasty foodstuff.

This upside down successful prowl

Did give the monkeys cause to howl.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Two Week Old - LP Zoo

New lion cub after week two

Is with Mom and just lyin' out

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Wondering what it's all about.

Will be behind the scenes a while.

Still not announced if him or her.

Getting used to catnap lifestyle.

Sticks close to Mom to reassure.

Mom keeps a watchful eye upon

Her little one, well knowing that

This new first birth phenomenon

Makes a happier habitat.

Stay tuned for next cute pix to be,

Probably posted in week three.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Echo

In ancient Greek mythology

Young nymph, Echo, was eyed by Zeus.

His wife Hera enraged did be,

And on Echo a curse let loose.

The only words Echo could say

Were the last words spoken to her.

When she met Narcissus one day,

She fell in love with him for sure,

But just could repeat his words of

The loving feelings that he had.

Thus Narcissus did fall in love

With himself, Echo was so sad.

Soon Echo was no longer found,

Except a faint repeating sound.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 SS Poseidon ...

The SS Poseidon ship be

An ocean liner of fiction,

With a decades long history

Of a capsizing depiction.

Struck by assorted waves that turn

The ship into upside down state,

A topsy turvy stem to stern,

Leaving passengers to dire fate.

A cast of characters alive

In each version do strive to go

Up to ship bottom to survive

Before the ship does sink below.

No doubt SS Poseidon will

Have many sinks left in her still.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Goddess Durga

The Goddess Durga, Mother of

All good of Hindu universe,

Worshipped by the faithful with love,

Praying she conquer evil's curse.

Ever vigilant, her three eyes,

One eye the moon for good desire,

One eye the sun for strength to rise,

One eye for knowledge fueled with fire.

In each of many limbs she wields

Wise weapons to use in her fight

Against evil, her swords and shields

To turn the darkness into light.

For Durga, many holidays

Do celebrate her divine ways.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Art of Healing

My parents both age eighty two

Within the same week passed away.

To help my grieving I did do

A painting on a sunny day

Of Mom and Dad as they walked down,

Their arms embracing each other,

The Main Street of our home town,

Joy being with one another.

I painted them as though they were

Walking just steps ahead of me,

And then a wonder did occur.

They stopped and turned for me to see.

They waved to me, both Mom and Dad.

Suddenly I was not so sad.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Rubber Tree

A ficus elastica  be

The first house plant that I did get.

Also known as a rubber plant,

I got when it was still small yet.

But a bouncing baby, it grew,

Over time and with care, a lot.

Very often I had to do

A replant to a bigger pot.

The tree, now a tall gal or guy,

By my bedroom window does sit,

Looking leafy at eight feet high,

Bigger each time I look at it.

Way down deep one of my desires -

It will grow a new set of tires.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Fringed Leaf Frog - LP Zoo

A fringed leaf frog, I like to do

Peeking from the fringe of a leaf,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

In my own camouflage motif,

Blending in perfectly so that

To peekers back at me I look

Like part of the leaf habitat,

A hide in plain sight hiding nook.

In Amazon rain forests my

Kind lives in trees for all of life,

And we can peek down from up high,

Protected from a lot of strife.

When you come by, at you I'll peek.

How good are you at hide and seek?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 A Film First

The Three Stooges made a film named

"You Nazty Spy" to poke fun at

Hitler and cronies and was aimed

To help convince the U.S. that

There should not be neutrality

Where the Nazi threat was concerned.

Fighting the Nazis had to be.

The fate of the World War II turned

On the U.S. joining the fight.

The Three Stooges in their own way

Helped the U.S. to see the light -

To fight Nazis without delay.

The Three Stooges were first to get 

Out a film on the Nazi threat.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Good Deed

In Moscow on business, I

Was walking back to my hotel

When suddenly this Russian guy

Approached me, speaking English well.

He said it dropped onto the ground,

And held my necklace in his hand.

I had walked on and then he found

The necklace and in gesture grand

Ran after me to let me know.

I said, "Thank you" in heartfelt way.

I asked his name, he said, "Hugo."

It certainly did make my day.

The necklace still reminds me of

Hugo's deed from Russia with love.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Love Story

A Black Eyed Susan I do be,

Wildflower found in the New World.

When colonists did first see me

An American beauty unfurled.

They did choose to give me the name

Of a Black Eyed Susan of poem

Who hoped her beloved William came

Back from the seas and safely home.

So if you seed Sweet William with

Me, we will grow up side by side,

And like lovers in truth not myth

We'll fill a gardener's heart with pride.

My blooms of gold, his purple red

Same time and place, a lovely bed.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Cao'an Manichaean Temple

Cao'an Manichaeans of past

Built a Buddhist temple to be

For centuries a shrine to last

Through all of China's history.

A simple building made of stone,

Sitting upon a sloping hill,

Through all struggles this place has shown

A destiny to endure still.

Wisdom, Power, Purity, Light,

Four Manichaean attributes

To help the faithful with insight

In fulfilling good life pursuits.

This sacred monument among trees,

Surrounded by Communist Chinese.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Diane Crump

Diane Crump on Bridle 'n Bit

Did ride in 1969

At Hialeah, stirred a fit

For daring cross the gender line,

That professional jockeys be

Only of the male persuasion,

Could include only he not she.

But she was a determined one,

With police escort made her way

Through an angry mob to her horse.

She did not win the race that day,

But set for females a new course.

Diane Crump, the first jockey Ms.

In the macho horseracing biz.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Laugher - LP Zoo

A laughing kookaburra who

Does like to laugh at dusk and dawn

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

I am a bird that gets it on

With my daily song tones of note

That I sing in laughter like way,

Resonating from feathered throat

Announcing each start, night and day.

My laugh is a varied mixture

Of chortle, chuckle, hoot and trill

To catch one's attention for sure,

As I laugh out from low to shrill.

In the Bird House perched in a tree,

Come dusk, come dawn, comes laughing me.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Ithaka Bound

Ithaka, Odysseus' home,

He sought to return after war.

A ten year journey he did roam.

Would home welcome him anymore?

His odyssey was hard and long.

A one eyed Cyclops he did blind.

Then god Helios he did wrong.

He did seduce witch Circe's mind'

He lost both his ship and his crew.

For years a prisoner on an isle,

Phaeacians came to his rescue.

Homecoming hopes seemed to beguile.

Odysseus in odyssey,

Would his home Ithaka still be?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Les Paul Guitar

The Les Paul electric guitar,

Over the decades I became,

In and of myself a great star,

Musicians strumming me to fame.

But of course I do credit Les

Way back in 1940's when

I was just a work in progress.

He worked out all my kinks and then

To the world he introduced me,

My sounds to blow the crowds away.

A master of sweet harmony,

All kinds of music I do play.

Sadly, Les Paul is dead and gone,

But, thanks to Les, I'm playing on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kagu - LP Zoo

I am a Kagu bird and do

Spend most of my time on the ground

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Looking for worms that be around.

I am the only bird kind that

Has nasal corns on nostrils so,

While pecking in my habitat,

Up my nose the dirt does not go.

I have powder making feathers

Helping me to stay clean and dry

When I do be in wet weathers.

Though I have wings, I rarely fly.

New Caledonia my kind be.

The Bird House is where you'll find me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 On the Face - LP Zoo

I'm chimp, Zachary, and I do

Oft express feeling with my face

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

'Specially how my mouth I place.

A drooped lip means I am relaxed.

Full open grimace means I fear.

Bottom teeth show, I'm happy maxed.

Joker type smile, I'm in a sneer.

Pursed lips together is my pout.

Whatever's going on with me,

I'm in some sort of mood no doubt,

And I express it facially.

When I'm in a mood to beguile,

I make my Mona Lisa smile.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Break Up

A pair of socks was bought brand new

By a body who put them on.

One of the socks complained p.u.

The other sock, more pro than con.

As the two socks moved through their day,

The one sock kept up gripes of smell,

While all the other sock would say

Was that this gig was wearing well.

Later on when the socks came off

The one sock still argued bad scent.

The other sock's reply was scoff.

Into the wash and dry they went.

Two socks went in, just one came out.

A divorce was afoot no doubt.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Zig Zag Papers

A brand of rolling papers, I

Am made with a motion process

That zigs and zags, so that is why

Zig Zag became my name, I guess.

So as to increase market span

My company did come up with

The campaign of the Zig Zag Man

Based on a tale, some truth, some myth.

In battle a soldier did roll

A cigarette on paper torn

From a musket cartridge, his goal -

Puff break, thus my promo was born.

When you roll me I do hope that

It's not while you're being shot at.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Trainee Fisher - LP Zoo

Fisher, the young grey seal, does do

Some voluntary training at

The seal pool in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Building trust in his habitat

With the keepers who keep close eye

On young Fisher from day to day,

Checking on good health of this guy,

Who's still a pup and wants to play.

But Fisher learning moves to make

At a keeper's instruction will

Help the keepers for check up sake,

Thanks to Fisher's responding skill.

As Fisher does each training feat,

A fish is thrown to him to eat.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Winkers

While walking through the woods one day

I spied an owl perched in a tree.

And the closer I came its way,

I could see the owl wink at me.

Well that's a nice gesture I thought,

One's wink to another one wise.

So I winked back thinking I ought

Participate in winking eyes.

But then I thought my winking back

Could be an insult to the owl,

Maybe considered an attack,

Ruffling feathers for being foul.

The owl must know the thoughts I think,

Because I got another wink.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Song of the River

This "Ol' Man River" goes the song

About the Mississippi - me,

And how I keep rolling along,

Be I "Man" or "Miss" - he or she.

This river's heard so many songs

Sung by humans hoping to find

His and her rights among the wrongs,

Ever a quest of humankind.

But humans seem to fight a lot.

They are both dumb and smart enough,

It's a close call whether or not

They'll go extinct doing bad stuff.

I'm sung about with heart and soul.

If the songs cease, I still will roll.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Brick by Brick

Building my faith was hard to do,

So much easier to build fear.

As a child, the God that I knew,

Only in church seemed to appear,

Where I would hear the pastor tell

Of God's wrath coming down on me,

And that I'd be sent straight to hell.

When alcoholic I did be

I found a program to suggest

Seeking God as I understood.

God wanted me to live my best.

I now have faith that God is good.

Building my faith, no easy trick,

One day at a time, brick by brick.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Calmer Downer - LP Zoo

We cichlid fish are many hue

And size as we do swim around

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

African Journey's where we're found,

In a huge tank, ceiling to floor,

Behind thirty feet length of glass.

Five hundred of us less or more

Viewed by visitors as they pass.

A calming effect we provide

For visitors who watch a while,

As up, down, back and forth we glide.

We bring a therapeutic smile.

If you're having a stressful day,

We can help, so come our way.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Slurper

I feel the urge, I don't know why,

As I do flutter through the air

For nectar, so this butterfly

Looks down to ground for flowers there.

Lo and behold blossoms I see,

Lovely abloom in pink and white,

Beckoning on an apple tree.

I wing my way and do alight

Upon a blossom I do sense

Is full of lots of nectar, yup.

Uncurling my proboscis, whence

I do slurp the sweet nectar up.

When this blossom slurping is done,

I flutter o'er to the next one.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Scrooge McDuck

A feathered miser, Scrooge McDuck,

I'm cartooned as Scottish can be.

No one is tighter with a buck.

There's not too much spending by me.

Very rich my character is,

Moneymaker extraordinaire,

Amassed a fortune in big biz.

I am surely a zillionaire.

Donald Duck is my nephew who

Oft asks yours truly for a loan,

But I tell my lazy nephew

He's got to make it on his own.

Donald Duck's heir under my will,

But while he waits, I live on still.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Con"neck"ted

There is a birthmark on my neck.

In the shape of a crown it is.

All my life it's given me heck,

Getting stared at, nobody's biz!

Maybe I do overreact 

To this feature by birth designed.

Maybe I should just face the fact

It's only ugly in my mind.

To try to put my mind at ease,

I go to a doctor to check

If there's any sort of disease

About this crown that's on my neck.

The doctor pulls her collar down,

And on her neck, a birthmark crown.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Profile of Minnie - LP Zoo

Northern tree shrew, Minnie, does do

Close up for the picture taker

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Providing memory maker

Of her, detailed in time and place,

Presenting a pose of profile,

Showing off half her pretty face,

And letting be seen half her smile.

And one of two front paws does hold

A potential food item that

A lick or two and she'll be told

If to munch in her habitat.

Many a picture's taken when

Minnie's about to munch again.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Huldra

A married man on holiday

By himself did go on a walk

Deep in a forest in Norway.

He met a woman, they did talk.

In fact she was a huldra who

Was not human and so tried

To lure the man to say, "I do,"

And turn her human as his bride.

It did not matter that he be

Already married, she would still

Try to get an answer, and he,

A yes or no, maybe she'd kill.

Maybe she will, maybe she won't,

Damned if he does, damned if he don't.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Pits Stop

On a plate we three peaches be,

Await coming under the knife,

Signaling an end  of journey

Trav'ling from our tree of life.

We got picked, in a basket thrown,

Put on a truck, off to a store.

Our destiny was unknown.

Fingers handled us o'er and o'er.

At last some fingers picked us up,

Into a bag, then off we went.

And ended up on this plate, yup,

Our future seems evident.

But no doubt we will be yummy,

Heading down to someone's tummy.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Affair Made Public

Alexander Hamilton be

A Founding Father but also

An unfaithful husband was he,

As his Reynold's affair did show.

Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds schemed

To get Hamilton to pursue

An affair, and the Reynold's teamed

To extort from Hamilton who

Paid hush money until his fling

Was made public, and Hamilton

Made confession to ev'rything

In a hundred page booklet done.

"Reynolds Pamphlet," Hamilton wrote,

His sex scandal in detailed note.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Seasons for Her

Sometime in spring she meets her mate,

Together a while, then part ways.

She roams in solitary state

Until the end of summer days.

Instinct then tells her to seek out

A place where she'll be safe from harm,

And where, if new birth comes about,

Her young close to her will be warm.

Since in her den there won't be meals,

She needs to pack on weight and so

She eats a lot of extra seals,

Then goes into a bank of snow.

In late winter, Mom polar bear

Leaves her den with new young born there.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Nomophobia

My cell phone was not in the place

Where I normally do put it.

I felt my heart begin to race,

As a panic attack did hit.

I looked around to no avail,

Was panting due to my exhaust.

The worst of worst I did bewail.

What would happen if it was lost?

I borrowed a neighbor's phone to call

My phone, it was where it should be,

There on the table in the hall.

Somehow my cell phone texted me!

"Nomophobia" was text shown,

"Intense fear of no mobile phone."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Knock Knockers

Once upon a time was a cat

Named Kate who did have a fun friend

Who came to live, a mouse named Matt,

And the two told jokes to no end

They both liked best all knock knock jokes,

They listened for throughout the house,

And they would hear from the young folks,

And remembered by cat and mouse.

Matt squeaked to Kate each joke he heard.

The two would giggle over it.

And then to Matt her jokes Kate purred.

Every knock knock was a hit.

Kate and Matt shared lots of laughter,

And live happ'ly ever after.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Beginning to End

A revolutionary war

Did begin the U.S. of A.

This nation's mindset more and more

Is waging war be the best way

Ever to remind friend and foe

We the People are rich and wise.

Use of power We came to know,

Bully the world We sermonize.

It's been a long time since We won

Any war that We chose to fight.

Our bullying days are done.

Glory days back? The next war might?

Peace on Earth talk is just pretend.

By war the U.S.A. will end.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Just Too Cute - LP Zoo

I am a cute red panda who

The humans love to see this "red"

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Lots of "oohs" and "aahs" be said

When an appearance I do make,

Followed by picture taking that

All of the humans have to take

Of me out in my habitat.

Observing humans, I confess

Are hard for me to figure out.

Just a needy species I guess.

My cuteness fills some needs no doubt.

Nibbling bamboo, I just say, "Shoot."

Guess I'm used to being so cute.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 First Lion Cub '22 - LP Zoo

A little big cat born brand new,

A lion cub now resides at

The lions' den, Lincoln Park Zoo,

Welcome plus to the habitat.

Zari, Mom, and Jabari, Dad,

Are the first time parents in pride.

The first cub that the Zoo has had

In twenty years, and does provide

A great reason to celebrate

Coming of a bundle of joy.

Further details will need to wait,

Like whether it's a girl or boy.

A March 15th Happy Birthday,

Birth of a lion cub, hooray! 

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Brief Encounter

The young spotted leopard does spot

The presence of some birds that fly

All around the leopard a lot.

And the birds don't seem very shy,

Even landing upon the head

Of the young leopard, checking out

This cozy spot as a good bed

For taking a bird snooze no doubt.

The young leopard seems fine with that,

Even holding his head quite still,

Willing to share head habitat,

As the birds do sing as birds will.

The young leopard and birds stay calm

Until returns the leopard Mom.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Fish Time for Fisher - LP Zoo

Hi, Fisher here, a young seal who

Is happy to report that I,

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Have become a fish eating guy.

My keepers seem very pleased that

I've passed the fish eating milestone

In behind the scenes habitat,

And coming well into my own.

I look forward to the day when

I'll be out in the big seal pool,

Where my public life will begin

With Mom and Dad, that will be cool!

It won't be long and you no doubt

Can visit and watch me flip out.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 A Sibling Thing - LP Zoo

Big sis is simply trying to

Take time in the hammock alone

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo.

She's hoping for a quiet zone.

But little bro does come along,

And wants to have some fun and so,

To show big sis that he's real strong,

Does rock the hammock to and fro.

Big sis is not real happy that

Little bro has disturbed her rest

Upon her hammock habitat,

And she swats at this little pest.

Gorilla siblings, she and he,

Same as human siblings do be.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

Ton of Fun

I did make mad a leprechaun,

Trying to steal his pot of gold.

The wee guy caught me, whereupon

A change in my bod did unfold.

Into an elephant I turned.

All in all life is not so bad

Where important stuff is concerned.

I've more fun than I ever had,

Celebrating St. Paddy's Day.

And thanks to my wide hose like trunk,

Gallons of Guinness flow my way,

Providing me one super drunk.

St. Paddy's Day, it be my wish

All elephants become Irish.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

Extended Holiday

After the busy season, I

Booked passage on a South Seas cruise,

A big change for this little guy,

Never had so much food and booze.

But late one night by accident,

A bit tipsy while up on deck,

Stumbling over the rail I went,

And into the South Seas, oh heck!

But luckily I washed ashore

A deserted tropical isle.

The trees are filled with fruit galore.

I guess I will be here a while.

I have the whole beach to myself.

Will Santa be missing this elf?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Aysan Appears - LP Zoo

Aysan is surely one sloth who

Most often wants to be alone

Here at home in Lincoln Park Zoo,

Tucked way back in her private zone.

But when Aysan does understand

It's 'bout time for her to have lunch.

Oft fed by a keeper by hand,

She gets herself ready to munch,

Easing to the front of her crate

Ever so very slothfully,

And hanging out there to await

For lunch is served soon time to be.

Lucky guests in that time and place

See a close up of Aysan's face.