Do Mangoes like poetry?

In my latest book, The Cook’s Garden, there’s a poem by Richard Tipping which goes like this: mangoes are not cigarettes mangoes are fleshy sinful passionate fruits mangoes are hungry to be sucked mangoes are glad to be stuck in the teeth mangoes like slush & kissing mangoes are not cigarettes mangoes are idiosyncratic seasonal seducers mangoes are worse than adams apple mangoes are what parents & parliaments warn against mangoes like making rude noises mangoes are not cigarettes mangoes are greedy delicious tongueteasers mangoes are violently soft mangoes are fibrous intestinal lovebites mangoes like beginning once again manges are not cigarettes mangoes are tangible sensual intelligence mangoes are debauched antisocialites mangoes are a positive good in the world mangoes like poetry Ah, mangoes! They’re probably my favourite fruit, and this summer looks like being a bumper crop.  Some people actually call the mango the “king of fruits” and I can understand why. Did you know that it’s one of the earliest known tropical fruits and is a native of Indonesia and Malaysia? Grown extensively in India, it has been cultivated there for so long (4000 years) that many believe India to be its place of origin. In south-east Asian countries, green mangoes are shredded and used in tangy salads; in India and Pakistan they are made into chutney. Because of their size, mangoes are best suited to large gardens in tropical areas. They will grow in sub-tropical regions too, but do best in areas where there is a definite dry season, ideally in spring.  Its requirements for producing fruits are quite exacting: at least 600mm (26in) rainfall per year for good fruit production with dry weather during flowering and the early stages of fruit development. Mangoes vary in size, colour, flavour and skin colour.  Some are yellow-green when ripe, others a deep orange, red or straw-coloured or a combination of all three. For the most reliable results, purchase a named variety from a nursery. Otherwise you can try growing one from seed by placing the seed point-end downwards in a good potting mix.  When the strongest shoot is 10 – 15cm (4 – 6 in) tall, cut off the weaker ones and plant the seedling in its permanent position in the garden.