she loved to gossip

my mother loved to gossip.

over the fence while hanging wet
sheets on the line,
or on the phone.

she kept a list of everyone
she knew
on a sheet of paper, laminated,
hanging on the kitchen wall.

the hot line.
she liked the juicy stuff.
she liked
knowing the dirt, the skinny
on everyone.

she'd always share it with you at
some point,
you could easily break her down
by showing up with a cheesecake.

you couldn't keep her quiet.
she'd start out with the weather
and then
away she went.

she just had to tell you what
was going on
and with who.

but then she'd put her finger
to her lips and say,

don't tell anyone I told you this.
but I swear, every word,
all of it is true.