Forgotten Language

Once I spoke the language of the flowers,

Once I understood each word the caterpillar said,

Once I smiled in secret at the gossip of the starlings,

And shared a conversation with the housefly 

in my bed.

Once I heard and answered all the questions 

of the crickets,

And joined the crying of each falling dying

flake of snow,

Once I spoke the language of the flowers . . . .

How did it go? 

How did it go?

-Shel Silverstein