April makes no difference br to the Lavalle cork tree br imported from central Japan; br br to the Sakhalin cork, br its diamond bark br rising into branches br br from a trunk of plated sand. br In the city park, this family of trees br wears its rue as buds br br traveled into leaf each year— br predictably, invisibly, br as your sister wears hers br br on a South Dakota highway: br there behind her knee, tempering br the air above her hand.