By day you see gnomes standing still.
At night a different role they fill.
Without their care and helping hands
All gardens would be barren lands.
They go about their tasks with glee
Requiring total privacy.
All was well till William Soames
Stayed up one night and saw the gnomes.
Then gnome-observing fast became
His newest hobby, like a game.
He hunted out their hidden places
Where they played and washed their faces.
Wrote up notes on what they wore…
The gnomes, annoyed, began to roar:
‘He must be stopped! This is quite wrong
We don’t like being spied upon!
Why does he probe and pry and peer?
We cannot work when he is near.
Can’t wash the roses, shoo the bugs
Protect the plants from snails and slugs.
Our secret work is secret, not
The business of some human tot!’
After much deliberation
Argument and altercation
The gnomes decided what to do.
‘He needs to understand our view!’
Into the house that night they crept
And onto William’s bed they leapt.
A spell was cast, quick as a wink.
The sleeping boy began to shrink.
Was horrified when he woke up
The size of a small drinking cup.
Angry gnomes tried to explain
Why Will’s surveillance caused them pain.
‘Leave us be! Beg our pardon!
Else we’ll abandon this fine garden!’
Fists were shaken, tears were shed.
Before he was returned to bed.
Later, now his normal size,
He told his Mum and Dad some lies
But not the truth of where he’d been
Or what he’d heard and what he’d seen.
Or that he’d learnt more spying would
Shrink him again — this time for good!

Will binned his notes, surprising all.
And took up playing basketball.

Photo taken by Linda Davidson