Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Bullet's Target

Bullet, a German Shephard, who

Is a well trained fighter of crime

In Africa where poachers do

Illegal killing often time.

When there is a poacher alert,

Bullet is taken in a plane,

Parachutes out, hitting the dirt,

Scent of the poacher does attain.

Then after the poacher, gives chase,

Catches, and then holds him at bay

Till police come to take the case,

Thanks to Bullet's effective way.

Bullet with butterfly wings is

Helluva poacher catching whiz.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Jake

On Grandma's farm and five years old

I went for a walk in the wood.

Didn't tell Grandma, being bold.

Jake, the cat, came, turned out good.

Cuz when 'bout to sit on a rock,

I heard Jake hiss, and then rammed me.

Falling aside, I was in shock.

Jake fighting fast, I could not see

What, just that Jake's teeth and claws tore

At whatever with deadly aim.

And then Jake squealed louder and more

Till Grandma heard him and she came.

And Grandma said, "Thank God for Jake,"

Seeing the dead copperhead snake.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Cicada Song

I am called a cicada, and

Know my male instinct is not wrong.

I want her who will understand

My yearning when she hears my song.

The tymbals in my tummy click

In acoustic pattern to sound

Loud and clear to my female pick,

In high hope that she is around

To hear and follow to the tree

Where I am perched awaiting her,

With nature's call to be with me,

Making future offspring for sure.

In an urgency I sing on,

For in short time we'll both be gone.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mice Pick

"Minnie Mouse," I am often asked,

"How was it Mickey won your heart?"

Well, on a picnic I was tasked

To pick. A bullfight played a part.

Mortimer Mouse was my old flame,

And Mickey was flame wannabe.

A bullfight was their chosen game

For which of the two would get me.

The bull chases Mortimer off,

Then chases me and I have to

Run, while at Mortimer I scoff.

Then Mickey saves me, my love true.

Mickey won me, but I must say,

A lot of bull along the way.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Dogberry

Constable Dogberry, I'm chief

Of the town citizen police,

Warning each and all knave and thief

My fighting crime does never cease.

"Much Ado About Nothing' is

Where I foil the criminal plot,

Maybe by accident, gee whiz,

These crooks insulted me a lot.

So list of charges should include

Spoken untruth and false report,

Slander and lies and being rude

To and about me in assort.

Proof that these criminals are crass,

They dared insist I am an ass.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Poets Picnic

Poets picnic, a time and place

To join together in fresh air

Under trees shade in nature's grace,

Some food for thought and taste to share.

The poets sit at table round

In elegant chairs to relax,

Nicer than blanket on the ground.

Whet appetites for verse and snacks.

In collaboration they seek

To bring forth in their happy quest,

Combination of words unique,

In creation of their joint best.

All enjoy a poetic time.

Even the ants contribute rhyme.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 About the Buckle

"I wish I was a Pilgrim," said

My five year old son, Jake, to me,

And asked for a hat on his head

With a shiny buckle there be.

I thought and then I told Jake that

I could take a belt buckle from

A belt and sew it on a hat.

Jake looked a little bothered some,

Like such a plan would not work out.

I tried to reassure, but felt

That Jake was still somewhat in doubt

Using a buckle from a belt.

"Cuz," Jake said to me with a frown,

"I don't want my pants to fall down."

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Ride in the River

I was his favorite wife so I

Had honor of being called Queen.

But now the Pharaoh does deny

I'm his favorite, this is so mean.

The Pharaoh says his newest wife

Is now a favorite one, this news

Is causing me such stress and strife.

So to try to calm down, I choose

To take a camel ride and hope

This bad news will just go away.

And on camelback I can cope,

Forgetting about this bad day.

I'm still Egyptian Queen so I'll

Just ride my camel in denial.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 My Heroine

I had taken an awful fall,

After having a fainting spell.

I could not get back up at all,

And was not feeling very well.

Then suddenly out of nowhere

She came toward me, all dressed in white,

And seemed to sense my deep despair,

Came to my aid to my delight.

"I shall not live in vain," she said,

As so gently she picked up me.

Her sweet smile took away my dread,

As safe again back home I be.

Emily Dickinson's the best

Says this robin, back in my nest.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Check the Next Farm

It is a lonely moonlit night.

I pause to scan the farm below,

Especially the field in sight.

I cannot see any scarecrow,

Which is a human thought up thing

To scare the crows when humans be

Not around, probably sleeping.

The dark farmhouse, good clue for me.

So again focused on the field

For a yum midnight snack to find

Abundantly in the crop yield,

Anticipation on my mind.

In the farmhouse a light goes on,

Signal for this crow to fly on.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Your Alibi

Your alibi you testify

That now you're gonna make your stand,

And promise in your alibi

You'll awake in the promised land.

You admit that you were with them,

A witness to their crimes and lies,

Causing a mountain of mayhem.

For your part, you apologize,

And now you come to me to say

You want my help so you might live

A better life toward future day.

I hope you'll take the help I give.

You sing your alibi to me,

So now a friend I'll try to be.

Sense Sonnet - Tickler

 Cheeseburger Photograph

A photograph was needed of

A cheeseburger for a print ad

To look so anyone would love

The chance its eating to be had.

But under hot lights real cooked meat

Shrunk, so grilled look was painted on

The raw meat to provide deceit

For a best look phenomenon.

Too stiff did look real melted cheese,

So a piece of plastic was set

To give a softer look to please,

And perfect photograph to get.

Cheeseburger photo, great display,

Inedible, so thrown away.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Devil's Game

What is evil and what is not

Depends on who the doer is.

Every human being has got

The will to do the devil's biz.

Freedom of will religions preach

Is gift given to humankind

Divinely and it's up to each

Human to learn somehow to find

An excuse for evil that's done.

Maybe it's not evil at all.

Maybe the victim's the bad one.

In name of good, oft's made the call.

Giving to others evil's blame,

Part of playing the devil's game.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Davy Jones

I am called Davy Jones and sail

The Flying Dutchman haunted ship.

At ocean's bottom I avail

My locker for doomed as they slip

From ocean's top and pulled deep down,

Locked in my locker evermore,

Destination for all who drown,

Till Judgement Day so says folklore.

I'm a hand of heaven, some tell.

Purgatory, my locker be.

But most do say I work for hell.

For lost souls, the devil pays me.

My locker awaits each doomed new.

I'll be there to welcome doomed you.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 In the Halloween Spirit

It is another Halloween.

I am always a ghost each time,

Leaving my house to make the scene,

Neighborhood trick or treating, I'm

Super spookiness at each door.

Each hander out of treats I scare

Enough to hand me out much more,

Hoping quickly I'll go from there.

The neighborhood treats me a lot.

But finally my night's done, so

I return home with treats I've got.

Back into my portrait I go.

Another Halloween is done,

For this real ghost, always great fun.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Doll House

The three of us girls liked to go

Together trick or treating and

Went to a house, we did not know

Who lived there and we had not planned,

But were pulled there in a strange way.

An old lady answered the door,

And asked us in a while to stay.

On a wall, dolls hung in decor,

A very creepy sight for sure.

But to that wall we girls were drawn,

No will to stop what did occur,

As through the air we floated on.

Each of us now hung on the wall,

We saw each other turned a doll.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Spiteful Me

Out of spite I told Hubby that

He needed to pack his bags and go,

Leave forever our habitat.

I was calling my lawyer so

Divorce from Hubby would occur

As soon as possible, meanwhile

He had to leave the house for sure.

Hubby said nothing, just did smile,

Which made me all the madder and

Caused me to shout in gasping breath

Harsh words I really had not planned,

"I wish you slow and painful death."

Hubby smiled at me, then did say,

"Now I guess you want me to stay."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Fourteen Lines

Back in my younger, dumber days

I'd do drugs to feel good and high,

And keep doing them in my craze,

Demand always more than supply.

I was lucky and got help to

Kick my drug habit and instead

Seek healthier highs and that do

Not threaten me to just drop dead.

Whenever a sonnet I write,

I am put in a better mood

That qualifies in high delight,

As each line of verse is pursued.

Fourteen lines of verse and I'm fine,

Never need another blow line.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Gone Fishing

Young Rose and her little dog Jake

Snuck out of their house late at night,

Got in a rowboat at the lake,

And go fishing in the moonlight.

Rose is sure that the fish must be

Hungry for a midnight snack so

Holds her pole, sitting patiently

At the sure spot where she did row.

Jake first worried when they snuck out,

But Rose assures him after while

There's no need to worry, no doubt,

So they fish, each with a big smile.

Fish for breakfast for Mom and Dad,

And surely then they won't be mad.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 "Hi Jack"

Jack-o-lantern, that is my name.

Each and every Halloween time

Is when I have my claim to fame

Of scariness, but really I'm

A happy go lucky one who

Wants all the kids of any age

To make Halloween fun to do.

So it's important I engage

All in a role of scary one.

And pumpkins are my stock and trade

To help me make Halloween fun.

With me, no one should feel afraid.

So next Halloween I'll be back.

When you see me just say, "Hi Jack."

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 The Spruce Goose

Eccentric Howard Hughes built me,

A huge airplane in World War II.

Entirely made of wood I be,

Metal was scarce in wartime, true.

Nicknamed the Spruce Goose, cutesy rhyme,

(Though really made of birch, don't tell,)

The largest aircraft at the time.

But took so long to build, oh well,

No need for me, the war was done.

In '47 Hughes took flight

In me, the first and only one,

A wood plane, no more appetite.

In Oregon I can be found,

Evergreen Museum, on ground.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Puff Helps Jack and Jill

Two little children, Jack and Jill,

Do need to fetch some water but

Have to climb a very steep hill,

Giving the children a shortcut.

Puff the magic dragon flies by,

And sees the children try but fail

To climb the hill, try after try.

So down to the ground Puff does sail,

Inviting Jack and Jill to ride

Upon his back to the hilltop.

They agree and the three then glide

Happily through the air nonstop.

Jack and Jill have found a new friend

To give their rhyme a happy end.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Ditch the Witch

I infiltrated a coven

Of witches known for evil stuff,

Like baking kids in an oven.

My assigned witch was old and tough,

Taking innocents to their doom.

But I gained her full confidence

As sidekick with her on her broom.

I learned from her at her expense

All of her spells and magic so

There came the right time and place that

I waved her wand, off she did go,

Fooled and done in by this black cat.

I sent the evil witch to hell.

Whole coven goes with my next spell.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Case of Woodstock's Nest

Case of the missing Woodstock nest,

Woodstock goes to Snoopy to find.

Snoopy says he will do his best,

And takes on a Sherlock Holmes mind,

Discovering that Sally is

The culprit who took the nest for

Her science project, but gee whiz,

Woodstock, now nestless, is real sore.

He sues Sally in Peanuts Court.

Judge Lucy rules for Woodstock, who,

Now a happy yellow bird sort,

A victory whistle does do.

One case done, but the next to start,

Why did Woodstock's nest fall apart?

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Polka Dotted Dragon

A polka dotted dragon, I

Am mostly blue in color hue,

But keep moody blues away by

A lot of dancing that I do.

I'm told my dancing does inspire,

As watchers watch me dance my stuff,

Never including breathing fire.

My dancing for fun is enough.

Now, I'm in a dance marathon,

Dance stepping up to wild applause

Of my dancing phenomenon

To continue without a pause.

The polka dotted dragon, me,

The polka dancing champion be.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 David Greybeard

David Greybeard, I got my name

From Jane Goodall for my grey beard.

This was before Jane gained world fame.

Naming a chimp, her critics sneered.

Before Jane came to Gombe, I

Really had no reason to trust

Humans, quite devious and sly.

But I was surprised when Jane just

Connected with me, so I taught

Her about my eating some meat,

And of my using tools a lot.

I brought more chimps to Jane to meet.

More of us chimps Jane understood,

More understanding the world would.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Infinity

On a chain I got as a gift

Was symbol of infinity.

It was a token to uplift

My love of Christianity.

Though Jesus upon a cross did die,

Christ was reborn forever to

Be my Savior as long as I

Keep faith in Jesus pure and true.

So with the cross, the symbol of

Infinity I take to heart,

And Jesus Christ has all my love

Forever, never be apart.

I pray my faith will never end,

That Jesus is my guide and friend.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Horse Laughing Matter

I was watching Farmer Smith plow,

Sitting on his new tractor when

Suddenly he fell off somehow,

Head first in the dirt, made me grin.

Not hurt, but he started to cuss

Up a storm while giving poor chase,

Being fat and bow legged, plus

Smoked, as he got red in the face.

My grin then turned to laughing hard

And loud as he ran down the field.

Served him right, the old tub of lard,

As I kept watching him and squealed.

I give my best horse laugh of course

Because I laugh and am a horse.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Trick or Treating Elf

For Halloween I'm all dressed up

As an elf but accessorized

With a lot of spooky stuff, yup,

Go trick or treating so disguised.

And with a spider web to catch

All of the many treats I get.

Of course fresh from the pumpkin patch,

Scary lit Jack-o-lanterns set

All the more seasoned mood for me

To have a fun night going forth

House to house, then time does be,

In moonlight on bats, fly home north.

I got his favorite treats because

An elf should share with Santa Claus.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Kaieteur Falls

Kaieteur Falls, my given name,

By a Guyana tribe whose chief,

Kai, according to legend fame

Sought to give his people relief

From destruction which was foretold.

The tribe's great spirit lived in me.

So from the top of me, Kai, bold,

Jumped into my waters to be

Lost in my powerful white spray,

Taken by the great spirit with

Hope by Kai, his tribe live and stay

Safe forever, so says the myth.

Did Kai's self sacrifice work well?

My legend, his tribe still does tell.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 True or False?

I know you've been told that I lie.

And that's the truth I do admit.

That's just the way I am is why.

Sometimes lies help me to outwit

You when I get a feeling strong

That you're not paying enough heed

To me, and think for you I'm wrong.

Not good for business indeed.

So sometimes the truth I tell you,

Just to try to catch you off guard,

Gaining more favor telling true,

Even though telling truth is hard.

From me is truth or lie you hear?

Then decide how you'll deal with fear.

Sense Sonnet - Steamer

 Hell of a History

The railroads 'cross the U.S. were

Prime for Manifest Destiny.

The white man had a fest for sure,

Training sights on profits to be.

The native tribes lost all their land

By force and trick by those who's greed

Was all across the U.S. spanned,

And these few sure prospered indeed.

The railroad barons richer got

While other masses paid the cost.

Destiny of blood spilled was bought

By a few winners while most lost.

Destiny made by wicked deals

With the devil for "Hell on Wheels."

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Choose to Stay

On earth there's lots of little hells,

Lots of little devils like me

Are proud of all the hate that dwells

To make the monster that I be.

We little devils like to live

Together in a time and place,

Cuz it's much easier to give

The hate to strangers we might face.

But if a stranger like you should

Decide to stay with us a while,

Thinking maybe you'd do some good,

I'll befriend you with my fake smile.

So when you show up in my town,

I'm gonna make sure you go down.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Jack's Halloween Trick

Jack is my favorite black cat,

Especially at Halloween

When the trick or treaters are at

My door, and Jack has his big scene.

Packaged candy bars are the treats,

And I taught Jack the trick to do,

When at the door both of us greets

The kids, then Jack is the one who,

Perched on my arm, takes from the bowl

A candy bar 'tween his two paws.

Then he turns to complete his goal.

From the kids are heard "oohs" and "aahs."

Then completing the trick I brag,

Jack drops the bar in the kid's bag.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 The Kids Convinced Me

I take the kids out for a walk.

Snow in the forecast we had heard,

And then I heard excited talk

From the kids on the white stuff word.

Why not watch from the window, I

Ask the kids but to no avail.

"Just not the same," the kids reply,

Then elaborate in detail.

So coats and hats and gloves go on.

Out we go through the neighborhood

For the awesome phenomenon,

We see firsthand, and wow it's good!

Streetlights awhirl in glinting snow,

Best show in town, this dancing snow.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Sad Truth

We parents were so proud the day

Our first hatched graced us in the nest.

A hungry chick, so right away

Doing what we birds can do best,

We took turns flying o'er the sea,

Scooping food from the water top,

Ate, then regurgitating, we

Fed our albatross chick nonstop.

But after while we noticed that

Our chick no longer seemed to thrive.

Then we were devastated at

The truth our chick was not alive.

How could we know our chick was dead

Because of plastic we had fed?

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Last Dance

A renowned dancer of ballet,

We heard sad news concerning her.

Quite suddenly she'd passed away.

We were devastated for sure.

With her we'd been as she did climb

From novice to a dancing star.

So we decided one last time

To honor her, and so we are

Performing in the grand hall there

The steps of her ballet complete

For a packed audience, we pair

Of dancing shoes without her feet.

Standing ovation from the crowd,

We know she would have been so proud.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Unicornella's Costume

Unicornella, happy when

Told by Mommy and Daddy that

She could pick out her costume then.

So she first got a witch's hat,

Poked holes for her ears and her horn.

For orange and black colors a lot,

Chosen by the young unicorn,

Jack-o-lanterns and bats she got

That she could paste upon her fur,

Around her hooves and through her tail.

Added big bat wings to be sure

Her looking scary would not fail.

Unicornella's costume done,

She was dressed for Halloween fun.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Queen Zenobia

Zenobia, Palmyra's Queen,

Had dared to break from Roman rule.

Rome's armies marched to intervene.

The Queen came under ridicule

For going against the empire

Of Rome and so the city of

Palmyra was besieged in fire.

The Queen surrendered out of love

For her city, accepting fate

She knew her conquerors would give,

Bound in chains to humiliate,

Then sentenced to no longer live.

Of her city, the Queen's last look,

Then the axe fell and her head took.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Changed My Mind

I knew he had taken the train,

But another one would soon come.

On the platform waiting, the rain

Was drizzly and still falling some.

Back in the hotel the rain had

Helped me make the decision to

Follow after him, I was glad.

The more it rained the more I knew

That I'd been wrong and he'd been right,

That together we two should stay.

And together we'd be tonight,

After a very rainy day.

Heard the train whistle, lights in place,

No tears, just drizzle on my face.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Made Up My Mind

From the hotel window I could

See him crossing the street below.

No umbrella, rain soaked him good,

All wet, a fitting way to go.

If he had had his way I'd be

Going with him, but not my way.

And the last words to him from me

Was telling him go, but I'd stay.

To go with him I took a pass.

But was I making a mistake?

As raindrops hit the window glass,

The tears came as my heart did ache.

And then his taxi disappears,

All blurry through the rain and tears.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 In Nature's Way

I knew that when it came at me,

I would not survive wrath it brought.

No friend, the fire an enemy,

Destruction of my kind it sought.

It was my nature to accept

The intense flames that did attack

From branch to branch in fury leapt,

Leaving me just a form charred black.

All life has left me all around,

And for a while I'll still remind

As dead wood in this ashen ground,

I won't be last here of my kind.

What's left of this tree stands until

I am renewed as nature will.

Sense Sonnet - Chiller

 Cloak to Kill

Nessus, centaur, ferryman of

A river crossing first met her,

Deianeira, and fell in love,

And her abduction did occur.

Her lover, Hercules, found them,

Shot Nessus with a poisoned dart.

As Nessus died in pained mayhem,

Revenge he plotted to impart,

Convincing Deianeira to,

In his blood, soak her cloak and give

To Hercules, love token true,

And love from Hercules would live.

But with his last breath Nessus lied,

Hercules touched the cloak and died.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mama's Wish

Mama Mouse walking through the wood,

Picks up a lamp on the pathway,

Giving the lamp a rubbing good.

Out pops a genie on display,

Telling Mama Mouse sorry but

There's only one wish to be had

Due to genie corporate cut,

Because the economy's bad. 

Mama Mouse thinks about her son,

Wishing him to be a success

In business, so can that be done?

The genie snaps his fingers, yes.

Mama Mouse gets her wished desire,

Son, Mickey Mouse, runs an empire.

Sense Sonnet - Acher

 Verse Versus Verse

The Taylor sisters, Ann and Jane,

Shared in common in place and time

Love for the poetry domain,

Both writing well in form and rhyme.

"The Violet," Jane wrote about

Growing modestly in the shade,

But content with its life no doubt,

A good impression on Jane made.

Ann wrote about "The Cow," indeed

With thanks for the milk she liked so,

And advising the cow to feed

Down where the violet did grow.

One day the violet was gone,

Because the cow did munch upon.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Mr. Yellow-headed Blackbird

A yellow-headed blackbird, I

Am in a take picture of pose.

On this human I keep an eye,

Until he's done and off he goes.

He's caught me standing in some grass,

Searching for seeds I like to munch.

I don't like too much time to pass

Without stopping to have some lunch.

I am a busy bird at best,

Mated now with eight females, and so

After lunch I'll stop at each nest

To tell each family, "Hello."

As far as feeding my offspring,

For each nest that's a Mom thing.

Sense Sonnet - Pumper

 Start of My Story's End

At Lincoln Park Zoo I am here,

As over many years I've done.

It is my day to volunteer,

A time and place for so much fun,

As usual I'm early, so

I have the chance to walk around.

As by all habitats I go,

I have the feeling that I'm bound

To leave my animal friends for

A different chapter for me,

And so I try to connect more

With every animal I see.

Start of my story's end I do,

Grateful I'm at Lincoln Park Zoo.