wildflowers

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wildflowers 
by a stone wall 
the small things



 The haiku relates to process philosophy by highlighting the interconnectedness of all things and the primacy of "becoming" over static "being."

1. Process over Substance

Process philosophy, in contrast to traditional metaphysics, argues that reality isn't made of fixed, independent substances, but of dynamic events and processes. The poem's elements aren't static objects, but participants in a continuous flow. The wildflowers aren't just "there"—they're in the process of growing, blooming, and eventually fading. The stone wall isn't an unchangeable substance, but a dynamic assembly of stones subject to the forces of weathering, erosion, and the growth of plants within its crevices.

The poem captures a moment of "happening"—the vibrant and transient presence of life against a backdrop that itself is subject to change over time.

2. Relationality and Interconnectedness

A key tenet of process philosophy, particularly the work of Alfred North Whitehead, is that nothing exists in isolation. Reality is a web of relationships where every event is constituted by its connection to others.

  • The wildflowers are defined by their location "by a stone wall." Their existence and beauty are relational; they are part of a larger, unified scene.

  • The stone wall is not a separate entity; its character is shaped by the wildflowers growing next to it.

  • The "small things" are the culmination of this relationality, suggesting that meaning and significance are found not in isolated objects but in the subtle, dynamic interplay between them.

The haiku, through its simple imagery, illustrates how the "small things" we observe are not independent entities but are defined by their participation in a larger, interconnected, and ever-changing reality.

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