Aspects of Brown: Earth Tanka Series

1.
Webster recollects:
bastard of russet and black
whose properties are
ploughed land and autumnal leaves
in advanced putrefaction

2.
Drab homespun so close
to earth materialises
for friars their vow
to remain in humble prayer
living on bread and water

3.
Donn is Old Irish
and fills in the place of black
with rich undertones
of war demons on masked steeds
death that feeds on harnessed souls

4.
Freudian emphasis
on the anal associates
brown with excrement
stool pigeon that arouses
predilection for torture

-- Arlene Ang