The Gossip

The Gossip By Elton Camp At a meeting where my family attend Comes a woman acting as a friend “There is something that only I know. Conscience makes me tell you though.” To her words I give a suspicious eye But not because she’d deliberately lie Paper on windows keeps demons out? That belief makes her word in doubt Young as her son is her present mate Makes me suspect what she may relate Control of her own life she must learn If respect for her report she will earn “Your teenage daughter I saw on a date With a boy whom I’m sure you’ll hate. I think you shouldn’t let her do that way So get her in hand and make her obey.” What she reported I already knew Because I had been at the mall too Away from us daughter didn’t slip Rather, she was taking a class trip She walked away from the rest Up came a boy she does detest As she was trying to take a walk, He followed her and tried to talk The Gossip came along just then That is how her story did begin The facts she assumed she knew Without seeing if they were true I called my daughter standing near Her wrath the Gossip should fear A tongue-lashing I did foresee “Now tell her what you told me.”