(Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, 1859-1932,
English writer; illustration by E. H. Shepard, 1879-1976,
English artist)
It is an established fact that all children are multilingual for a certain period of time.
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 failing dying flake of snow,
Once I spoke the language of the flowers. . . .
How did it go?
How did it go?
~ Shel Silverstein (1932-1999), American poet and songwriter
