Tuesday Poem: An Alien’s Notes on first seeing a prunus-plum tree, by Jane Matheson

An Alien’s Notes on first seeing a prunus-plum tree
by Jane Matheson

This is a device for recycling air
…so intelligently functional in its design
yet aesthetically pleasing in its line.
These delicate rose-petalled flowers…
so soft to stroke, you can do it for hours!
It is wondrous too
that in the heat of the summer sun,
these flowers become
marble-sized ruby-red rounds
of delectable fruit-flesh.

Humans call it a prunus-plum tree
I would very much like
to take it back with me.

This poem is included in Voyagers: Science Fiction Poetry from New Zealand, edited by Mark Pirie and Tim Jones (Interactive Press, 2009).

Voyagers cover

You can buy Voyagers from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle e-book, or from New Zealand Books Abroad, or Fishpond.

You can also find out more about Voyagers, and buy it directly from the publisher, at the Voyagers mini-site.

5 thoughts on “Tuesday Poem: An Alien’s Notes on first seeing a prunus-plum tree, by Jane Matheson

  1. A clever idea for a poem and very subtly and successfully executed. Thanks for posting it Tim. (And all the best for the award I see Voyagers is listed for!)

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