Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 The Quiet Bloom

"Good fences make good neighbors" wrote

Robert Frost in his "Mending Wall."

My neighbor has good fence, I note,

But not a good neighbor at all,

With noisy parties he does throw,

And keeping me awake at night.

But through the fence I see does grow

A lovely flower of delight,

A violet hibiscus that

Seems to give me a friendly smile.

And so I leave it where it's at,

To enjoy its bloom for a while.

At least until the weekend when

The neighbor will party again.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Peter's Warning

Apostle Peter does warn of

Persecution of Christians who

Do live their lives in Jesus' love,

But that such lives bring promise true

That though be suffering on Earth,

In heaven will salvation be,

Making all the suffering worth

Grace achieved for eternity.

Jesus did suffer in flesh so

We would be forgiven of sin,

And when we suffer we can know,

In death a new life will begin.

And Peter came to know too well

The suffering he warned to tell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Grim for the Wolf

Little Red Riding Hood did meet

A wolf while she was on her way

To her Grandma's house. Plan to eat

Both by the wolf as yummy prey

Went through the wolf's mind, and so he

Ran ahead to Grandma's house to

Get ready for his feast to be,

Quite a Grimm fairy tale, he knew.

Meanwhile Red kept skipping along,

Anxious to see Grandma for sure.

The wolf's plan, bad for him, went wrong.

Grandma hugged Red and said to her,

"Come have a piece of my meat pie."

"A big bad wolf just happened by."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 In the Heat of the Spite

Barbie Doll discovered the fact

That Ken  had been cheating on her

In breach of his Mattel contract,

An unforgiving sin for sure.

This could a bad p.r. stink.

The Barbie brand could take a hit,

A gray cloud o'er her world of pink.

She needed to remedy it.

So to Barbie Dollhouse she bid

Ken to come for a bite to eat.

Plastic melted as quarreling did

Get out of hand in furied heat.

Stop scandal, what did Barbie do?

Ate Ken up in a barbecue.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Snoopy and the Great Pumpkin

Snoopy decides to snoop around

The pumpkin patch to try to find

The Great Pumpkin that Linus found.

Is Linus just out of his mind?

In the patch Snoopy takes a nap.

When he awakes it is midnight.

Upon his back he feels a tap,

And turns around to quite a fright.

The Great Pumpkin opens its jaws.

Snoopy cannot believe his eyes,

Scampers away on all four paws,

Barking, Linus had told no lies.

Giggles in the Great Pumpkin be

From Linus watching Snoopy flee.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Journey

I say goodbye to all I've known,

Then hear my husband calling me.

I'm glad I do not go alone

To the new world where we will be.

I see the flashing in the sky

Above the Great Pyramid where

We two will be transported by

Beamed energy from here to there,

To a pyramid, then make way

Across the land, avoiding them

Wishing us harm, and we will pray

On this journey to Bethlehem.

It has been chosen, planet Earth,

Where Jesus Christ be given birth.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 This Thirsty Vixen

This vixen, I'm a thirsty one,

And looking for a quenching source,

Where sating my desire be done.

It's only natural of course.

Some vixens of the human kind

Do call it thirst when sexful lust

Does dominate over their mind,

And urge to quench such urge they must,

Even to let a wolf take hold,

And do with them as that wolf may.

My thirst is water, I'm not bold

Enough to let a wolf my way.

This vixen, a female fox, I

Am gonna let the wolf move by.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Swamp Monster

This swamp monster was forced to leave

My local swamp when it got drained.

But I had no reason to grieve.

From the media I obtained

Info on a great swamp and where

Lots of monsters were all around.

So I packed up and headed there,

To swamp paradise I be bound.

And sure enough I love it dear.

I don't have to stay out of sight.

Monsters called politicians here

Make me look good to my delight.

Hear "Drain the Swamp" does tickle me,

Will never happen in D.C.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Cataclysm Coming

Kinich Ahau, Mayan sun god,

Was worshipped as the source divine

Of all life, but belief was flawed

That this god would forever shine.

The ancient Mayans now long gone

Failed to predict the time and place

Occurring this phenomenon,

The sun god turns into dark space,

No longer ball of fire of worth,

Providing what all life did need.

So becomes a dead planet Earth,

The Mayans got it wrong indeed.

Maybe eons of time away,

Maybe the sun will die today.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 You Will Bow

You dare to demand that I fall,

That you won't bow to me you say.

Cold blooded fake I hear you call.

And you will take my breath away?

Open my dying eyes you preach

That you'll survive and not give in.

You think that you're beyond my reach,

Like you're some saint that has no sin.

You do admit my darkness is

About, and ever on the rise,

Cuz no one's better at my biz.

Your fall should come as no surprise.

From heaven I already fell,

And I made your whole world my hell.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Oral Poetry in the Beginning

Poetry remembers quite well

That it began as an oral art

When Adam and Eve came to dwell

In Eden was when it did start.

Communication humans had

By speech in words in place and time.

God didn't realize how bad

This would go in reason and rhyme,

When some poetic words would take

A devilish turn for the worse,

Started off by the sneaky snake

And ending with words God did curse.

So oral poetry did begin,

Eve said Adam, "Sin is in."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Yeti

Himalayan legends abound

Of a white haired creature who stalks

For centuries the snowy ground.

And tracks show on two big feet walks.

Called Yeti from Sherpa folklore,

Abominable Snowman from

Western pop culture striving for

Hyped up publicity to come.

Some say an ape, some say a bear.

A lot of hoaxes have been had,

So whatever the truth to share,

Is in some skepticism clad.

Whether or not such creature be,

Maybe someday you will find me.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

Beware Leaving New England

A poem Henry Thoreau wrote,

"Though All the Fates," and he wrote that

Leaving New England in a boat

For wealth in foreign habitat

Was just risking all the fates of

Misfortune for daring to leave

New England, land Thoreau did love.

As example of such to grieve,

Thoreau wrote of a ship so fine

Heading for China via world.

Amass wealth, purpose of design,

But curse of all the fates unfurled.

Local worms chewed wood, chunk by chunk.

The ship in the China Sea sunk.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Choose to Speak

The mightiest weapon - the tongue,

Speaking the words of truth or lie,

Persuasive to both old and young.

The human history tells why.

All sin and all war and all crime

Begins with someone speaking of

Such in every place and time,

Words spoken in hate, not in love.

But each of us does have the choice

To speak the words of love, not hate,

Pray for God's will and then give voice

For salvation to celebrate.

I pray to God  I always seek

God's will before I choose to speak.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Blue Highway

It is a nice and sunny day.

I'm listening to the radio

While driving down a rural highway.

Then as around a curve I go,

I notice the highway is blue.

Should I pull over or go on?.

I'm really not sure what to do,

A very strange phenomenon.

I cautiously do drive ahead,

Come to a truck on the road side,

Broken barrels on the truck bed,

An answer to the blue supplied.

The blue highway, not by design,

A truck had spilled blueberry wine.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

I Love "I Love Lucy"

Something I am devoted to

Is "I Love Lucy" T.V. show.

Little Ricky and I came due

In 1953 and so

I grew up with each Monday night

Being the family time spent

Watching the Dumont black and white,

"Lucy" a do not miss event.

Number of episodes there be

Is one hundred and eighty one.

Most days one or more I do see

In colorized format rerun.

I continue devoted fan

For all the rest of my life span. 

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Box of Pain

When I was still so very young,

You made me believe all you said,

Winging your love words from your tongue,

Arousing even sleeping dead.

You opened window to my heart,

And opened doorway to my mind.

But you left both broken apart,

Left heavy pain for me to find.

You were mistake of mine that took

Too long for me to admit to.

At last I got the guts to look

At how I'd been beguiled by you.

So please do not be too surprised,

My time with you is now despised.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Crutch Crime

I was just walking down the street

And did happen to come upon

A guy approaching, we did meet.

He had a camouflage suit on,

And was walking with a crutch, when

He stumbled and bumped into me,

Mumbled apology, and then

Off down the street proceeded he.

Thinking that something was not right,

I felt, my wallet was no where.

Down the street the guy still in sight,

Really needing the crutch held there.

Yelling after this guilty one,

"You can hide but you cannot run."

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Color Me Lonely

The Valentine's Day does greet me.

Vanilla morning light does shine.

A single cherry red rose be

In a cut prune state now is mine.

An ivory cup of coffee bliss,

Snow white jug for preferred milk touch,

Along with a cinnamon kiss,

And I am very pleased with such.

Then the silver toaster does pop

Two wheat toasted pieces on cue,

With message to make my heart stop,

The warm brown words of "I Love You."

My onyx day of loneliness

To serve myself I must confess.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Ramen

Ramen, a noodle dish, is claimed

To be a Japanese icon,

And now worldwide the dish is famed,

A cultural phenomenon.

In varied shape the noodles come,

Thick or thin and wrinkled or straight.

Of course like Jesus look like some,

On eBay sale to contemplate.

Traditional toppings include

Various meat and fowl and fish,

And chocolate if of the mood

Makes for a special dessert dish.

Ramen exports from Japanese

Have endless pastabilities.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Hope for Earth

The end does come for humankind,

Other animals and plants spared,

Enabling the New Earth to find

The divine restoration, shared

In harmony of life to be

The way that God had once hoped for,

But watched sins of humanity

Plaguing all Earth with greed and war.

The New Earth beautiful and clean,

The best of nature taking course.

All life forms existing serene,

God was pleased and had no remorse.

Humankind back to Earth be brought?

An option - maybe, maybe not.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Next Pandemic?

A worldwide pandemic some thought

Would bring together humankind.

Then Covid came and harmed a lot.

World unity further declined.

And after the dire threat had passed,

Divisiveness was all the more.

Cooperation did not last.

Humans get closer to world war.

Some think the next pandemic will

Occur sooner than later, and

Hopefully won't be one to kill,

But one to better understand.

What the world needs is a dispense

Of pandemic of common sense.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 I Broke My Halo

A proud halo I thought I had.

An angel here on Earth I thought

Ev'ry one else did ev'ry bad.

I always did good like I ought.

Of course so envious all were

That such a perfect soul I be.

A righteous soul I was for sure.

So why did evil befall me?

Sure was a surprise when I fell,

And felt my perfect halo crack,

As I descended into hell,

And I was never coming back.

And then I heard the devil call,

"We all break halos when we fall."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Call Me a Doomer

A doomer boomer is my mood.

Born at the end of World War II,

Pessimistic I must conclude

About what humankind does do.

Wars and conflicts do never cease.

They just get milder for awhile.

The world has never known true peace.

New and better weapons compile,

And powers that be madder more

At winning at whatever cost.

Price of coming nuclear war,

Most of humankind will be lost.

I hope I die before I see

The coming soon of World War III.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Why the Tears?

When I was young I'd wake at night

And hear the sound of rain outside.

The first time I was filled with fright,

But learned that Momma Nature cried.

I heard so from my Poppa who

Told me that her crying some rain,

Momma Nature would sometimes do.

Perhaps because she felt some pain,

Or maybe in a happy mood.

But either way her crying be

Just her way of keeping me clued

On sharing her feelings with me.

So every time it rains I try

To guess why Momma Nature does cry.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Playful Moon

Night time and so lovely and clear.

I knew it would be rising soon,

In a few minutes to appear.

My two year old does love the moon.

We walked outside and I told Lee

The moon wanted to play a game

Of hide and seek, so who would be

First of the two of us to claim

Finding where that sly old moon hid?

On the path to the woods we went.

Racing ahead, the fact Lee did

Want to win was quite evident.

And my two year old yelled to me,

"Look Mom, the moon hid in that tree."

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Middle Age

Now, what was I going to say?

Could have sworn that was my password?

So did I take that pill today?

Calling at 9 p.m. - absurd?

Now where did I put that darn phone?

What did I come into here for?

Why has another gray hair shown?

I hardly moved, why am I sore?

So the twist do the kids still dance?

Why's my body falling apart?

The dryer must have shrunk these pants?

Kings ransom in my grocery cart?

Some daily questions at my stage

Of life on reaching middle age.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Pan and Syrinx

Pan, horny god of the wild, ran

Through the woods and did see Syrinx who

Caught his lustful eye and began

A long, long chase, and Syrinx ran to

A river where her father, god

Of rivers turned her to marsh reeds.

But this subterfuge became flawed

When Pan, known for his anger deeds,

Smashed and broke the marsh reeds apart,

Tying the pieces together in

Musical pipes so to outsmart

Syrinx who did lose and Pan did win.

Thus Pan the trickster played trick of

Possessing Syrinx reluctant love.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Preventable Cause and Effect

In early twenty twenty three,

Upon a Hawaii beach shore,

A washed ashore dead whale did be,

Necropsy done to find out more.

At sixty tons of weight a whale

Ingests enormous sums of food.

Swallowing on such massive scale,

Some harmful objects can intrude.

In this case, plastic debris stuck

In the whale's intestinal tract.

Food digestion thus ran amok,

And causing death be a sure fact.

Whales washing up on shores to die,

Plastic may be main reason why.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Be Mindful

Be mindful that yesterdays were

In time and place we can't relive.

What then did or did not occur,

We can't forget, but can forgive.

Be mindful that tomorrows be

Beyond the reach of each of us,

Whatever that reality

Does not deserve good or bad fuss.

Be mindful that today is worth

The most in our attitude

Of our existence on Earth,

And should be filled with gratitude.

Be mindful of the present day,

And strive to live in a good way.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Sad Awakenings

To get back home, there is a way,

When I have come to the end of

Having another homeless day,

A way back home where once was love

For me from all my family.

I was the apple of her eye,

And as good sleep awaited me,

Momma would sing a lullaby.

So even though she now is gone,

And I'm alone, I try to take

A good sleep where I can dream on

Of going home, but then I wake.

Awakening, again I know

That back home I can never go.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Be a Good Neighbor

I have convinced my neighbor that

A womanizer I do be.

Back and forth to my habitat

Lots of ladies do visit me.

I have natural sex appeal,

Monogamous just not my style,

So it is my duty, I feel,

To charm the numbers with my smile.

If my neighbor was a gal, I

Would probably give him a turn

Receiving the love I supply,

But mister neighbor need just yearn.

The ladies come, the ladies go,

Hope my neighbor enjoys the show.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 The Sloth and I

Sloths come from trees to ground to poop.

In that poop as an egg I'm laid.

And when I have hatched I then loop

Up into sloth fur where I've made

A nest and cultivate algae,

The kind the sloth does love to eat,

Giving the sloth good energy.

A partnership that's nice and neat,

Mutual benefit is done,

Calling sloth home rest of my time.

I am an animal - which one?

A hint - with the word, "sloth," I rhyme.

From this info that I supply,

Please give a guess on who am I?

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Testify

While piloting my fighter jet

I ram into a U.F.O.

My crashing is a certain bet,

So I eject and out I go.

As I'm parachuting to ground,

I can see it, I have no doubt,

The U.F.O. hovers around.

My air tube clogs and I pass out.

Amid flowers and grass I wake,

As C.P.R. is done on me.

I look and do a double take.

My rescuer is an E.T.

Quite a story I'll have I guess

When I am called before Congress.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Under My Spell

Through your closed eyes and open mouth,

I see and hear a lot of pain,

Intimacy issues gone south,

Bunches of sick sex on the brain.

Yes, in a penalty box, you

Now find yourself with strain and strife.

But be assured, I'll help you do 

A remake of your wretched life.

So coming to me for help is

Your first step in recovery.

I am at the top of my biz

Giving hypnosis therapy.

Just first of many sessions, yup.

Snap my fingers and you'll wake up.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Your Days are Numbered

Shall I compare you to a sore

That is upon my lip of life?

Comparison I've made before,

And making me one stressed out wife.

The young fillies I watch you chase.

Mean stuff about you they do say,

But won't say straight to your long face.

When I hear, I just reply, "Neigh."

You're no longer a young stud steed.

I've been faithful as I can be,

But I'll tell you there are indeed

Greener pastures out there for me.

Because you are a cheating horse,

I'm gonna go get a divorce.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Rain Talk

Hey, if talking about the rain

Does get you more into the mood,

Then I am not gonna complain.

Passing judgement would just be rude.

Pitter patter of rain drops is

A sound that I'm accustomed to.

Sure happens a lot in my biz.

Not a lot of thought do I do

About the rain, but hey, I hear

You wanna talk, so let it pour.

Just keep in mind that while we're here

This rain talk's gonna cost you more.

Just as long as you do pay me,

A happy hooker I do be.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Canoe Ride

A canoe, my girlfriend and I

Rented for a row on the lake.

I told her since I was the guy

And heavier, I needed take

The back end of the canoe, and

She, lighter, to the front would go.

I lied to make her understand

The one in the front had to row.

I got a "you fib" look from her,

But she did do as I did ask.

The canoe ride was fun for sure,

While both of us did assigned task.

I was enjoying a nice snore

Until she smacked me with the oar.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Color Me Green

My ever colored jealousy

Is always in a shade of green,

Depending on what's the degree

From huge to small and 'twixt and 'tween.

When others have or do good stuff,

I get jealous and wonder why.

It seems there never is enough

For my demands of their supply!

Even though I try to act sweet,

Not getting my way does upset

Me as my life's unfair defeat,

And the greener my mood does get.

My green with envy hue display

Seems a constant St. Patrick's Day.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 The Devil in Me

The devil got into my mind,

And made me think such evil thought.

The devil cleverly designed

To make me do what I should not.

Oh, heaven help me, others pried

Into the goings on in me,

And the devil in me replied

These others  were just foolishly

Being a downer on my high.

The devil in me had firm hold,

No matter how heaven might try.

The deal was done, my soul was sold.

I let the devil in to dwell,

And I turned myself into hell.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 This Young French Girl

The young girl born in rural France,

Grew up on the family farm.

English invasion circumstance

Brought her village resulting harm.

And then this young girl did begin

To have visions from angels who

Told her to join the world of men,

To lead in battles she would do.

And so this young girl without fear

Believed that God had given her

Divine destiny that was clear,

That she was born for this for sure.

On sainthood journey to embark,

She left the farm, young Joan of Arc.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Poems in a Museum

I wonder when I'm dead and gone

If an exhibition there be

In a poem museum on

My collection of poetry,

To be read or be listened to

By those with some reason or rhyme,

And nothing else better to do

Than to take up some space and time,

And wonder how this poet could 

Have such a collection, to wit,

None of which are really that good,

In a museum exhibit.

Through history we do exist,

A rhyming exhibitionist.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 It's, Like, ...

A "like" epidemic there be,

Caught by all generations in

Using term, "like," excessively,

And now a common speaking sin.

Like, the speaker said "like" so much,

Like, it it was distracting to hear,

Like,  communication lost touch,

Like, speaker's point did disappear.

Like, think if a President gave

A speech with "like" stuck all throughout,

Like, why would he or she behave

When war was what was talked about?

One President gave "like" a like,

Won twice on slogan, "I like Ike."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Hydrangea

Hydrangea flowering plants,

Meaning water vessel in Greek

For such capsule shape circumstance

To hold the water which they seek.

When the soil is alkaline, hue

Of the flowers is pink a lot.

When the soil is acidic, blue

Is color most flowers have got.

The flowers bloom from early spring

To late fall in large flower heads.

Some look like pompoms and do bring

A showy pep to flower beds.

In Asia and Americas be

Growing as vine or shrub or tree.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Nature Calls

This chihuahua has biz to do,

So out the doggie door I go,

And right away go thump into

A mass of white. Can it be snow?

But it's July and then I see

It's not snowflakes but butterflies,

A swarm of all white around me.

Totally this is a surprise.

I walk in a careful waddle,

Not wanting to alienate,

No usual barking twaddle,

Polite ball of fur incarnate.

Then off the butterflies do fly.

I give some yaps and kicks goodbye.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Need to Keep Talking

My heart and my brain did discuss

Which one was doing their job best.

"Surely between the two of us,"

"I'm more vital," heart did attest.

Brain replied, "Most certainly not."

"Without me sending signals, you"

"Would be a dumb pump without thought,"

"Purpose in life, you'd have no clue."

Irked heart replied, "Without my blood,"

"You would no thoughts, good or bad,"

"And just be one gray lumpy dud."

"I have the pep you wish you had."

Between the two no more was said.

When they stopped talking, I was dead.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Prodigal Child

I don't remember just when I

Did learn that you were guiding me

On my journey and I should try,

Father, a better person be.

But once I learned that you were with

Me anytime and anyplace,

I oft accused you be a myth,

Father, I pushed away your grace.

But even in bad times I would

Remember that a faith in you

Gives me direction to live good.

Father, please help me to love true.

When into darkness I do roam,

Father, you keep guiding me home.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Time or Money

I know of those with money wealth

But not all that much time to be

Enjoying it due to ill health.

I sure would not want that for me.

'Tween money and time, I would choose

To have more time because time is

A gift that I could better use,

And not get stuck in greedy biz.

Money and time, both I do spend.

Money, I'd spend more if I could,

But at some point in time would end,

And I doubt if I'd do much good.

Little money and lots of time

Would be my rather in a rhyme.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Self Served

A lot of poems I did write.

I thought that each and ev'ry one

Was inspiration of delight,

Sharing of all which should be done.

I found a publisher online

Who I did pay, then undertook

To provide in lovely design,

My long dreamed of poetry book.

Two hundred copies started with.

I told my friends and family.

Buying poetry books a myth?

Not such a book written by me.

"Sold out" my publisher did call,

Not knowing that I bought them all.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Lost Weight

I started life light and carefree

With not a worry in the world.

Others did take good care of me.

But as I grew, burdens unfurled,

Most of which were by myself made,

As I blamed others for my woe,

Ignoring the burdens that weighed

In me as through life I did go.

And finally that day did come

When all alone I lay in bed,

No longer able to run from

My life's burdens, then I was dead.

And on life's day that was my last,

I lost my heavy weight of past.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Smile for Good

I was laying out in the sun,

And saw some tourists walk near me.

Then one young child started to run,

Yelling that a toy I did be.

None of the others seemed to care

That this child was about to make,

Coming any closer to where

I was, a very big mistake.

Tourists can be so very dumb,

So thought to myself that I should

Take initiative to change from

A bad encounter to one good.

I guess it was when I did smile,

Known I was a real crocodile.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Last Time in Times Square

High in a Manhattan hotel,

I watched the huge crowd down below.

Excitement was at a groundswell

As the neoned countdown did show.

The drink in hand, I chugged it down,

Leaned over the balcony rail

To better see Big Apple town.

Tried to pour another cocktail,

But spilled the booze and then did slip.

The bottle fell out of my hand,

And over that rail I did flip,

Not an event that I had planned.

My drop in Times Square beat the ball,

And a Happy New Year to all.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 The Green Light

The green light has been said to be

A symbol of a wealth desired,

Valuable materially,

And dreamed often to be required.

The American dream some say,

But really is worldwide in scope.

From ancient times until today,

All kinds of humankind's have hope

That more the money, more the chance

Of buying happiness for sure.

I always look for circumstance

Of shining green light to occur.

For many, the green light does shine,

But so far cannot claim as mine.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Lincoln Park Zoo Volunteer

I am retired from working life,

Sixty some years of jobs for pay.

I do not miss the stress and strife.

Now I devote my time today

To being a volunteer at

Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo where

Animal and plant habitat

Always are fulfilling when there.

For several days a week I go

And talk to visitors about

This treasure that I've come to know.

I am all the richer no doubt.

The Zoo, I have written on it

Many a connection sonnet.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 We Are Right

Paternalism for too long

Has run society around

The world and turned too much too wrong,

And to apocalypse we're bound.

It's time all founding fathers cease,

And let the mending mothers be

Turning the world to ways of peace,

Saving human society.

We all belong in time and place

When and where we each can be one

Helping all of the human race

Get better society done.

Darkness will be replaced with light,

As we turn their wrong to our right.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Someone to Love

I'm in line at the coffee shop

When you get in line behind me.

I think my heart is gonna stop

When I do turn around and see

You smiling at me standing there.

And then to hear you say, "Hello,"

And all I can do is just stare,

And wonder if my feelings show.

I say, "Hello," back and then turn

Back to pick up my order of

Coffee that's hard to hold with yearn

Of you as someone I could love.

Love at first sight, love at first sound,

In love with someone I just found.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Ancestor Pester

Some say my ancestors appear,

Giving messages in my dreams,

Thinking that I do want to hear

On the many problems it seems

Direly faces humanity,

As though such worldwide issues great

Are able to be solved by me,

Especially when it's so late.

Though asleep I should be polite,

Should any ancestors drop by

To bother me so late at night.

To such ancestor I'd reply,

"Too complicated, issues deep,"

"When I just simply want to sleep."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Disco Dawg

I'm Disco Dawg and I'm so cool.

I'm gonna bring the disco back.

I know I may face ridicule,

But syncopate, I've got the knack

To get the style back in the groove

By barking out my soulful sound,

To surely stir the dancing move

When heard sung by this good ol' hound.

And once again, Saturday night

Will be at fever pitch when I

Reverberate to the delight

Of all who hear me amplify.

Gonna be a Dawgie adore,

Performing my four on the floor.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Cut

The wife signed us up for a show

That was live streaming both of us

As a loving, cooking duo.

Of course the wife did make a fuss,

Criticizing me which she shared

With the audience of my fault

Over the roast we both prepared.

The wife in my wounds sprinkled salt.

The roast got done through my hot hell,

And then did come the carving time.

The camera caught us so well.

I was grinning throughout the crime.

The last feeling felt by the wife,

My skill with carving fork and knife.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Family Disease

Early in my life I knew that

Both Mom and Dad did drink too much,

Causing our home habitat

To be a time and place of such

Unhappiness with stress and strife.

Learning they both had a disease,

I drank no booze in my young life,

Fearing the same propensities.

But when I left home and went out

Into the world all on my own,

Booze became my best friend no doubt,

My life worse than my folks had known.

Best advice to myself I think,

An alcoholic should not drink.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Grace and Nico

The boy, Nico, and the girl, Grace,

Came together with love in heart.

But then sadly came time and place,

And suddenly they were apart,

Separated by the whims of

The fates that ever seem to be

Toying with the heat of young love,

Driving doubts between she and he,

And leaving each to feel alone,

Because the other did do wrong,

Each checking for text on each phone

While listening to their love song.

With loneliness it's hard to cope.

For Grace and Nico there's still hope.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mary's Answer Came

And Mary asked, "How can this be?"

When told she would be mother of

A child, but a virgin was she,

Yet had faith in heavenly love.

And though she may not understand

All the angel did say to her,

She knew that in the Holy Land

A miracle would be for sure.

And Mary did not question more

Heaven's visit to her on earth.

She, a believer, waited for

The coming of the Holy Birth.

And Mary be the chosen one

As mother of God's only Son.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Ill Wind

In a field two wind turbines sit.

One notices the other is

Having quite a bad coughing fit,

And says in sympathy, "Gee whiz,"

"You really don't sound very well."

The coughing turbine does reply,

"Yeah, from these symptoms, I can tell"

"I've caught nasty germs from the sky,"

"Probably from a recent breeze"

"That I encountered a while back,"

"And a few times on me did sneeze,"

"Covering me with germ attack."

"Bad case of flu this seems to be."

"An ill wind must have blown on me."

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Eating Disorder

Esophagus and stomach chat

Of bad habits their human's got,

Consumes too much sugar and fat

Causing these organs grief a lot.

Many a time they both do churn

As human swallows spicy stuff,

Giving both organs such heartburn,

Bunches of downed Tums not enough.

They both have pleaded for mouth to

Stay shut when human hunger is

Making human again pursue

Pain and suff'ring from eating biz.

Mouth yells down to the other two,

"Delivery is coming through."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Making Connection

We do grow in a city park,

Two elms who do share close roots there,

And also close leaves, limbs and bark.

For many years we two do share.

Humans do often visit us.

We are deemed by them a pair of

Trees attractive to humans, thus

We are a source for seeking love.

We gift romance in time and place

To all the humans stopping by.

And some of our limbs embrace

As incentive to unify.

Look closely so as not to miss

Us em"barking" in a sweet kiss.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Sonnet On It

I've always been a sonneteer.

Pen in fourteen lines and rhyme scheme,

Pretty much like William Shakespeare,

Who I hold in highest esteem.

Iambic tetrameter count,

And no one really can confuse

Me with good Will in the amount

Of passion brought to word and rhyme.

Thousands of such sonnets I've done.

"Sonnet police" oft charge my crime,

Too less serious, too much fun.

Critics pop up, I keep restrained,

And so far Will has not complained.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Taste of Me

Taste in and of myself I sense

Is not enjoyed by everyone,

So cups of myself I dispense

For the purpose of having fun,

Watching others have a hard time

Trying to swallow much of me,

As I assure that I'm sublime,

So drink me up and more will be

Poured forth in never ending flow.

Then all of them, excuses make

Of why they all really must go.

A bitter taste of me they take.

I pour myself into a cup,

And toast myself as I drink up.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Marcel and Edith

They were the toast of Paris town,

Marcel Cerdan, a boxer great,

Edith Piaf sang to renown.

Lovers destined for an ill fate

When Marcel in a plane crash died,

As Edith waited for him to

Rejoin her and be at her side.

"Hymn to Love" Edith sang as true

Tribute to and faith in Marcel,

With angels he awaited her.

For eternity both would dwell

Reunited in love for sure.

Now in heaven Edith does sing,

As Marcel's sparring in the ring.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Narcissus and Echo

Young Narcissus with beauty of

Such, young Echo met and did yearn,

And with him fell deeply in love.

But her love Narcissus did spurn,

Causing Echo to fade away.

Then Narcissus saw in a pool

His reflection, he had to stay

In love with himself as a fool.

After a while he turned into

A lovely flower, gold and white.

All a Greek myth but could be true

When loves turns wrong instead of right.

Perhaps when breezes are around,

Narcissus hears Echo's faint sound.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 To Any Reader of Mom's Book

My Mom, a child psychologist,

Wrote a book about her child, me.

It made the New York Times best list,

And a bestseller it did be.

I cannot kid that as a kid

Lots of real problems Mom compiled

On behaviors I said and did,

No doubt I was a troubled child.

A single Mom, she did her best,

And helped me as much as she could,

Knowing that book got me real stressed.

But I did turn out pretty good.

Mom's child grew up okay instead,

And grew out of wetting the bed.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Try to Adapt

Giant electric windmills that

We eagles know the humans will

Keep building in air habitat,

And more of us continue kill,

Is just the latest threat we face

Of human inventiveness to

Dominate all the time and place

For selfish ends the humans do.

Thousands of us eagles will die,

While our natural instincts change,

Finding new ways and means to try

Flying habits to rearrange.

We eagles must have new mindset

To avoid growing windmill threat.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Anne

Loved and cared for in my childhood,

I grew into a troubled teen,

Lived a lifestyle that was not good.

All inside me turned ugly mean.

I did a lot of real bad stuff,

Hurt lots of people near and close.

Finally my fate had enough,

I died from a drug overdose.

In afterlife I got a gift,

To go to living as they dream,

And there, their spirits to uplift.

I am just one of the A team.

Useful purpose for me began

When I became an angel, Anne.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Watermelon Hi

I'm old enough now to know, yup,

That summertime is fun for me.

Now two years old, almost grown up.

Mom cut it up and said it be

A watermelon fruit to eat,

And I was old enough to get

My very own piece, oh so sweet,

Making me all sticky and wet,

As I slurped down red juicy stuff

That crunched as I bit into it.

As though great taste was not enough,

A bunch of seeds I get to spit.

So one of the bestest things, yes.

Mom expects me to make a mess.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Momma's Superstitious

I gave Momma a lot of stress.

So superstitious she did be.

When I was thirteen months old, yes,

Momma was so upset with me.

I walked under a ladder and

Bumping it, I caused it to fall,

Breaking a mirror on the night stand.

Momma screamed, "Writing's on the wall."

"Seven years of bad luck, my child."

"I gotta wash your hands and face."

Momma scrubbed me, still shrieking wild.

Thanks to me she'd gone basket case.

Momma tried hard to turn me good,

Fourteen months old now, knock on wood.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Gift to Walk

The young boy missing legs and feet,

Missing all that such limbs could do

That could help to make life complete,

Perhaps a dream that will come true,

If medical technology

That can provide replacement limb,

Would somehow by powers that be,

Be such a gift given to him.

It is by fate of circumstance

That this young boy finds he must live.

But fate can provide him a chance,

If and when there's a will to give.

Tomorrow, hopefully will walk.

Today, draws legs and feet in chalk.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Young Love Poem

A ten year old girl, my folks say

Is still too young to be in love.

But since it is Valentine's Day,

I feel old enough to speak of

How much I really want to be

That special girl now in your life.

It's not forever, you and me,

Not like I want to be your wife.

But I believe that you and I,

When Cupid shooting an arrow's done,

Will hit us both in the bullseye,

And rest of fifth grade we'll have fun.

Someone to love, it's you I chose.

Sorry I punched you in the nose.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Siege of Syracuse

The siege of Syracuse did last

Longer than the Romans had planned.

Some great defenses were amassed.

Wise Archimedes had a hand.

He devised a huge "claw' which took

The Roman ships out of the sea,

Dangled in the air by the hook,

Then dropped,  and smashed the ships did be.

The inventor made a huge mirror,

Reflecting sun on Roman sails,

Causing the ships to burn severe.

In the end Archimedes fails.

Roman Marcellus praised him skilled,

But Archimedes still was killed.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 You Came to Me

I am the wolf, I am the bear.

I am the grass, I am the trees.

I am the lake, I am the air,

In mighty gust or gentle breeze.

I am the forest beckoning

You to visit many a day.

My leaves rustle and my birds sing.

And for a while with me you stay,

Partaking in all my delight.

For you my gifts do never lack.

You go with coming of the night.

But I do know you will be back.

I am the all that you sense of

The nature that you dearly love.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 In the Nature of

Temporarily blinded be

An eagle, so must stay on ground.

A young chicken with eyes to see

Has the courage to stick around,

And warns the eagle when be threat.

Then the eagle bluffs the threat gone,

In time and place quite a duet,

An abnormal phenomenon.

After a while the eagle is

Able again to regain sight,

And to resume its hunting biz.

But before the eagle takes flight,

Predator eagle eats chick prey,

Not good or bad, just nature's way.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Bad Ad

When I was a kid I did eat

A cereal of well known brand.

Lots of sugar so very sweet,

At first this cereal was banned

By my parents as bad for me.

But when I showed them on the box

Better my attention would be,

My folks okayed eating in talks.

Many years later this box ad

That kids' attentiveness went up

Eating these flakes was proven bad,

Very false advertising, yup.

I still eat these sweet flakes galore,

Still inattentive evermore.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 The Lovers

Man and woman, love 'twixt and 'tween,

The Bible would have us believe

When God decided to convene

The format with Adam and Eve

In the Garden of Eden where

These two lovers were given choice

Of good or bad that did be there.

And tempted by the serpent's voice,

The lovers chose the sinful way,

Punished by consequences of

Innocence lost, which still today

Can be the fate of two in love.

Each set of lovers, time do tell,

Be bound to heaven or to hell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 A Dimensional Thing

Through history often been said

In terror tales of this or that,

Being monsters under the bed

In childrens' bedroom habitat.

Now I be such a "monster" and

Do find a public duty to

Help humans better understand

That my kind means no harm to do.

In a dif'rent dimension we

Exist, but sometimes there's a tear,

And we step through the hole to be

Under a human child's bed there.

From under the bed I don't go,

Cuz children scare me, doncha know.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Drawn

I don't have a real home, instead

Under an underpass I stay.

A worn out mattress is my bed,

Against a concrete wall of gray,

Upon which I do make my mark.

I draw a window to look through

To see a lovely city park.

I draw a chest with three drawers to

Put in clothes in which to be clad.

A drawn bird in a drawn cage, we

Together do enjoy time had,

Watching shows on my drawn T.V.

To dream away my homeless part,

I draw my "home" in charcoal art.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Tenderfoot

In the wild, all the black bears know

That fire in any form is bad.

Sometimes we are caught in fire though,

Stories of which can be so sad.

I was such a bear who was burned

So badly, rescuers could not

Save me, no matter how concerned,

And so quick, painless death I got.

I understood and did not blame.

With much compassion they spoke of

Me, and Tenderfoot was my name.

I spent life's last moments in love.

In songs and poems about me

The spirit of this black bear be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Saintly One

A saintly one I would define

As one who seems to me to live

The way I was taught as divine,

Pure good in humans meant to give,

Understanding, patient and kind,

Also filled with humor and fun,

Expressed from a virtuous mind,

All this within a saintly one.

Most saints I've heard and read about,

I'm not sure if such I have known.

No one I've known has been without

Some erring ways just like my own.

A saintly one evokes in me,

Like such one could I ever be?

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Eve Was First

Contrary to the Bible tale,

When God decided to create

Humans, she first made a female,

Eve, and then Adam as her mate.

God knew that later on males would

Get away with telling their lies

Who was first cuz of dumb manhood

Having more strength in body size.

Then God told Eve of what would be.

Eve was quite disappointed, yup.

Adam started bragging so she

Thought an apple might shut him up.

When God saw this she sighed and thought,

"What in hell have I gone and wrought?"

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Powerless

Global powers be of same mind,

Take full control of all by few,

Just one more resource, humankind,

Easily fooled to think and do

Whatever global powers scheme.

You and I are just pawns to play

In the game global powers deem

Is gonna be the future way.

When humankind does fret and fuss,

The global powers merely scoff,

And tell more lies to placate us,

As power for us is shut off.

The global powers that be be

Taking control of you and me.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Her Fault

If a woman loves more than one

At a time, what will happen is

Question that my sonnet be done

For doing AP contest biz.

The Bible tells us that Eve be

In love with Adam but also

Took on another love when she

Fell for the lies of serpent beau.

And what happened, we know that

God spoke and Eve and Adam got

Kicked out of Eden habitat,

Future of humankind was wrought.

If a woman loves more than one

There's gonna be some sinning done.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 This Baby's Gone

"Baby's Gone Blues" I hear you sing,

As I am leaving you tonight.

Hear you sing so is a sad thing,

But gotta do what I feel right.

So gotta get away from you.

Just can't be your baby no more.

I'm sure you'll find a baby new.

You tend to bounce back from heart sore.

But singin' to me your sad song

Is just not gonna change my mind.

The two of us once right, now wrong,

So I gotta leave you behind.

Sorry to hear that blue you be,

But better you be blue than me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Rock of Ages

At the old folks home, a bunch of

Us rock and roll gals formed a band,

Back to hippie days, peace and love.

Took "Rock of Ages" hymnal and

Gave it respectful but new sound,

Something easier to dance to.

News of this revamp got around,

Lots of performing we would do.

And suddenly a hit we had,

Top of the charts the song did go.

Success of it made us all glad.

Requested wherever we show.

We rocker band of great grandmoms

Are quite a fav at senior proms.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Fast Car

Always in a hurry be they,

Always driving on some impulse

To get to or to get away,

With sometimes not desired results.

For some reason they think fast speed

Is gonna solve woe on their mind,

That getaway is all they need

To leave all their troubles behind.

Of course they never ask me for

My opinion on how things are,

Just push my pedal to the floor,

And off they go in this fast car.

But I took a turn for the worse,

And this fast car became a hearse.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Reframe My Message

"I heard it through the grapevine" sang

Mister Marvin Gaye, king of soul,

And made me wonder if, oh dang,

I was the one who fit that role

Of having reputation of

Pickin' and choosin' 'twixt and 'tween

Two guys as to which one I'd love.

That song made me sound oh so mean.

And Mister Marvin sang he'd cried

Cuz he was so sad losin' me.

And I just knew down deep inside

Clarification needed be.

So I put out through the grapevine,

"Mister Marvin, you're ever mine."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Sign of the Times

Many a year we've taken walks

Through all kinds of weather outside.

And we have shared so many talks.

Of course he knows I like to guide,

Stopping for this or that to check.

In early times impatient he

Seemed when I stopped, but what the heck,

He knew curious I do be.

But now lately I've noticed that

He doesn't mind the stops so much.

In fact he sits while we are at

Where I am sniffing such and such.

Not the stamina this dog's got,

Old humans have to rest a lot.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Teacher Earth

Each day if I am able to,

I go outside and take a walk.

Whatever season going through,

The birds and trees to me all talk.

Though in a city I do live,

I walk through parks and places where

Each animal and plant does give

A nature lesson to me there.

The singing birds, the rustling trees,

Each educates in its own way,

Sending me lessons through the breeze,

Good knowledge for me any day.

Each day to nature I return,

The more from teacher Earth to learn.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Namib Desert

Twelve hundred miles of desert sand

Along Africa's southern coast,

Eons meeting water and land.

Inland erosion causing most

Of rock turned sand and pushed to go

Toward the Atlantic Ocean way

By wind and rivers in a flow,

Forming works of art on display

Of massive dunes of reddish hue,

Because of iron oxide within

Striking against the ocean blue,

Results of ancient origin.

The Namib desert, time and place

Along the Atlantic does grace.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Summer Dream

While walking in the woods one day,

A soothing stream I did walk to.

This stream to me did seem to say

This be a place and time to do

A peaceful rest from my long walk.

And so next to the stream I sat,

And for a while we two did talk.

I then found myself lying flat

Upon the grass and very soon

The stream in its lullaby spell

Did sing me off in serene tune

Into sweet dozing I would dwell.

Where did I find a summer dream?

Within my nap beside a stream.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Time Bandit

I watched the film, "Time Bandits," and

Checked out my home to no avail.

All walls, floors and ceilings were scanned,

But find a time hole, I did fail.

So disappointed I got drunk,

And that's when Evil had its way,

Got in my head and made me think,

Time to be a bandit today.

I stumbled down to the town wharf,

Seeking a source of banditry.

I attempted to mug a dwarf,

Who did beat the crap out of me.

In a cell I do write this rhyme,

A caught bandit doing my time.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 We Pray for Our Nation

The U.S. as a nation be

Founded upon belief in God.

But through this nation's history,

Some deeds, heaven should not applaud.

When we the people do be wrong,

We all should pray to do what's right.

United is what's kept us strong.

Humility should come with might.

Set the example for what's good,

Let freedom's beacon ever shine,

Live the Golden Rule as we should,

And we will reap rewards divine.

The U.S. says "In God we trust,"

So better do God's will we must.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 This Too Will Pass

On his way home he found me on

The ground, my headache did begin.

For me, no plush phenomenon.

This was gonna be a no win.

A lot of garlic food he'd scarfed,

And pushing me into his mouth,

Minced pieces of it out he barfed,

Covering me as spewing south.

Then on some candy he did chew

To tamper down his breath so bad,

And sticky on me did accrue,

Either or cussing lines I had.

This harmonica hopes that he

Soon reaches point of losing me.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 I Grew Up

The grown ups I knew from the start

Were gonna take good care of me.

Each day and night I was a part

Of them hoping that I would be

A grown up just like them one day.

I wondered how long I would take

To be a grown up. They would say

Not to worry for goodness sake.

Sometimes one grown up left to roam

Around for some food to bring back.

The other grown up stayed at home.

Attention to me did not lack.

My grown ups gave me all their best.

This bird grew up and left the nest.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Winning and Losing

We young kids in the neighborhood

Liked to play the hide and seek game.

My hiding wasn't very good,

And right to me "It" always came.

But one day I decided that

I would win at hiding and so

Went far from where others were at,

And into a cave I did go.

The ultimate winner I was.

Nobody ever did find me.

I was not findable because

Behind a pile of dirt I be.

I guess I lost because I died,

But won because of a landslide.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 "Barbie" the Movie

Barbie doll does leave Barbieland,

After mid life crisis of sorts.

But Mattel does not understand,

Frets of lawsuits filed in the Courts,

When Barbie goes to the real world,

And finds out that real women are

Not like her as all pink cloud girled

In a pink convertible car.

Spirit, Ruth Handler, from Mattel

Helps Barbie make decisions to

Become a human out to dwell

In La La Land as mortals do.

Barbie's private parts now exist,

So says her gynecologist.