Tree Talk

Margo Stutts Toombs

July 5, 2026

I hear that leaves protect trees

Wisps of flora change their flavor to repel deer 

and beckon killer wasps to feed on ravenous worms

I hear that trees talk through their roots 

They grieve when one of them dies 

Trunks groan, leaves shiver and fall

and the roots give rise to spirits 

I hear that trees moan in the wind at night

Tree ghosts wander in woods and forests

searching for wood cut down by humans 

Be careful

Stay away if you can

I hear that global warming sparks tree rage 

Someday, they will hold their breath 

and we will have nothing to breathe.

Margo Stutts Toombs creates wacky worlds and performs at Fringe festivals, art galleries, and groovy cafes. She recently won third place at the Tejas Storytellers Liars’ Contest. Her poetry and flash pieces dance in journals, anthologies, and chapbooks. Margo also loves to produce videos, especially video poems.