Chattering Plants Poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

The fig tree has lost its big soft leaves and looks like a petrified
octopus in the middle of a nightmare. What the hell happened
to the ocean? It tells itself”, I´m not ugly as almond tree, looks
as rough hewn spider´s web that can´t catch any insects.
I belong to the family of Moraceae and we produce the sweetest
of fruits, we are the aristocracy in the plant world.”
The almond tree heard this and said: “I will be a bride in February
cast a spell of beauty on the landscape with my pink flowers. “
“Anyway, I´m a deciduous tree and proud of it, without my nuts
- a hint of a giggle from the fig tree- you can´t bake a good cake.
People ask for almond tarts, no one ever asks for fig tarts.”
A sullen silence falls, then the carob tree, also known as St. John
bread, and bears fruit too; elongated, dark as farm workers fingers,
judiciously says: ” you´ll both be beautiful come spring.”