use XML::Simple;
use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper XMLin do { local $/ = <DATA> };
__DATA__
<log>
	<entry>
		<date>2012-01-08</date>
		<text>Test</text>
	</entry>
	<entry>
		<date>2012-01-09</date>
		<text>Test</text>
		<text>Additional information</text>
	</entry>
</log>