Phaiku No. 4

To fathom the deep, we must first listen for what has long been singing there.

Author’s Reflection

Inspired by Carl Safina’s assertion that “we are strangers in a strange place we hardly know,” this phaiku offers a gentle reckoning with human hubris. For centuries, humans have debated the concept of “theory of mind”—the ability to attribute mental states to others—as if it were our singular claim. But what if we are not the originators of deep consciousness, only its latest observers?

The orca, ancient and communal, may already hold a knowing we’ve yet to earn. Their black and white sonar marks not just the sea—but a wisdom that swims beyond our grasp.

“To stand at the edge of the sea… is to have knowledge of things that are as eternal as any earthly life can be.”

~ Rachel Carlson

Phaiku No. 4

True Deep

black and white sonar
our theory of mind is small
orcas keep the deep