Talking to Trees

You can talk to the animals,

chat with your plants,

Discuss ecology with a firefly,

or evolution with the ants,

But never had I more trouble, then when I've talked to trees,

It seems that they are as a whole a troubled group,

if you please!

I asked a Maple tree a question once,

about his unusual roots,

But he gave me this sappy smile,

and said something rude about my boots!

Next I approached a stately oak,

these trees are really quite stuffy,

I asked him how his acorns grow,

but he only got angry and huffy!

The next tree I encountered was a kindly white birch tree,

I asked why his bark was peeling,

but he only stared back at me,

I walked some distance through the forest and met an old tree of beech,

I knew that if I asked a poser of a question,

that he had much to teach,

Next I met an old elm tree,

who seemed fidgety and nervous,

I asked him what his phobia was,

as it seemed that was his purpose,

He told me rather nervously, that he might change to a frog,

But his greatest fear was that if he talked too much,

that he might just Dialogue,

I laughed so hard at his sudden pun,

because I never knew a humorous tree,

That made a joke that was half as funny,

as the one that he told me.

So, I asked him if he could make up a few,

to tell perhaps next spring,

He said he would see what he could do,

he knew it was a great thing!

I was quite concerned that the task I posed,

might be too much for a tree,

They are after all not known to be thinkers,

at least as trees might be,

So when I came back the following spring,

after winter’s snow had been dumped,

I found that the question I had posed,

left my friend the tree literally...

“stumped”!