When a tree falls in the forest
is it mourned by its standing survivors
the vibrations it made indistinct
as the memory of a thunderclap?
Does the question become
not whether a tree makes a sound
if it falls without anyone around
to hear it, but rather, is there even such
a thing as the ground when that appears
to be gathered from our perception?
not whether a tree makes a sound
if it falls without anyone around
to hear it, but rather, is there even such
a thing as the ground when that appears
to be gathered from our perception?
Not even the forest suspects this much
least of all the trees, each one of whom,
for instance, may believe they are the king
of all existence. In whose dream, then
may a leaf be heard to fall, again?
Listen up. Without you
there can be no story.
A very old tree totters over
into the wildwood far away
with a sound approaching
the memorial of thunder
to its standing survivors.
Around the edge of the bay
outspread in their foothold
through funereal compost
melding with rotten mold
a blue unreal mossy fungus
spreads out and grabs hold.
Under the loam of bedrock
another microtone gets added
to the layers in the chorus
of their growing forest song.
into the wildwood far away
with a sound approaching
the memorial of thunder
to its standing survivors.
Around the edge of the bay
outspread in their foothold
through funereal compost
melding with rotten mold
a blue unreal mossy fungus
spreads out and grabs hold.
Under the loam of bedrock
another microtone gets added
to the layers in the chorus
of their growing forest song.