My Tree

a poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

Today the good sun warms soggy, green landscape
and the first shy buds on my almond tree have appeared.
If the cold fingers of night frost doesn’t kill them at birth,
my tree will soon be full of white flowers-
and once again I’ll marvel and say:
How come that such an ugly tree can be so beautiful?
Bashful the tree will tremble
and snow silk on sandy lane.