My next-door neighbor taught her flowers how to talk.
They think I cannot hear them with my human ears,
but I hear them whispering.
They gossip and spread rumors.
I know they hate my cat.
They think the garden gnome is ridiculous.
I learned what terrifies them.
One day I walked over to them and said,
“You better watch what you say.
I’m bigger than you, and
I have access to chemicals.”
I haven’t heard a peep
out of them since.