brown

not a lump of island clay
flung by a petulant god
into the water

not a piece
of toast left too 
long in the oven

not even the rough
coat of a wild hog nor hairy
tails disappearing in the canopy

think of it as soft
and pliant fronds in a weave
plucked from dreams

think of it
as the smell of a sweet
rice cake wrapped in banana leaf