old stones

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old stones
beneath the mountain stream 
cicadas cry 


Interconnectedness and Change 

  • "Old stones beneath the mountain stream": The stones represent endurance and persistence, while the stream embodies constant change and flow. Process philosophy emphasizes that even seemingly static objects like stones are part of a continuous process, shaped and worn by the stream over time. The stream itself is not a fixed entity but a dynamic process of water moving downhill. This line illustrates the interaction between a persistent entity (the stone) and a ceaseless process (the stream), highlighting how they mutually influence each other.

  • "Cicadas cry": The sound of the cicadas introduces a third element—the temporal, fleeting moment of life and sound within this larger, ongoing process. The cry of the cicada is a temporary event that occurs within the continuous flow of the stream and the enduring presence of the stones. This sound is not separate but part of the larger whole, showing how discrete events and processes are interconnected in the moment.

The Whole is a Process 

Together, these elements form a single, cohesive picture of reality as a process. The haiku doesn't describe three separate things (stones, stream, cicadas) but rather a single, unfolding event. This aligns with process philosophy's view that reality is not a collection of independent things but a network of interdependent processes. The "being" of the stones, the stream, and the cicadas' cry is defined by their "becoming"—their continuous interaction and change within the larger whole. The haiku, in its brief form, captures this fundamental idea of reality as a verb rather than a noun.

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