Barren of leaves, the oaks,
maples and elms offer
capillary silhouettes
on the horizon.
In winter stillness.
the saps, although
sluggish, are accruing
resolve for budding.
Starkness of the trunks
and limbs broach extravagance,
both symmetry and asymmetry,
in this cold and contrast.
The rooting ball in each
anchors these crowns,
laid bare; we are to
stay the course.
Michael Belongie has dedicated his fifth collection of 52 poems, Now is All We Have, to Benedictine Women of Madison. Michael and his wife, Jane, have donated the proceeds from the book to the new monastery building at Holy Wisdom Monastery.