I read an article in Scientific American on the topic of consciousness in non-human species. A group of cognitive neuroscientists got together and stated that subjective consciousness likely occurs in the minds of all mammals, and there is even evidence that suggests octopuses might be self-aware (octopi is no longer the preferred plural form, which seems weird to me but I don’t make the rules). The group formalized their stance in a paper known as, The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness.
It’s not hard for me to believe primates, elephants, whales, and dolphins experience subjective consciousness. It’s a lot more difficult to think about a self-aware octopus out there in the vast ocean, living a brief and solitary life, constantly in fear of top predators lurking all around.
If the octopus does have a sense of self, if its behavior is mostly thought-driven, it would likely have at least an inkling of its own mortality. All this made me wonder if an octopus could get sad and lonely at times. Then I wrote a haiku about it.
with eight arms, three hearts
self-aware cephalopod
wants someone to hug
The Hawk Squawks 
Hi Hawk (I think this is your name?), Possibly, it would depend on how we define consciousness in non-human species. I enjoy your haiku on many levels. A thought-provoking post:) Erica
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I love your haiku
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Yes, Hawk is fine. Thank you for the feedback – it’s much appreciated.
I’m looking forward to seeing more of your work. All the best . . .
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Great post & poem
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Thank you so much! I always look forward to your next post – this is really a great community we have here. All the best . . .
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Thanks – this was a fun one to write. I really appreciate your feedback. The comments mean a lot more to me than the other stats.
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I like how you include information about your subject, along with the poem. Your poem had a unique and interesting quality, I really enjoyed it.
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I’m glad you like the prose portion of my posts as well. I don’t always include them, but I do enjoy writing them when time permits.
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I think it adds a unique element, but the haiku is so good it could stand alone just as well too.
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You are very welcome and thank you for your kind words- if us a wonderful and supportive community
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It is)
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This is lovely! Since I found out how intelligent octopuses are (yes, that is the correct plural) I have viewed them in an entirely new light. I’ve even written stories about them. There may be more!
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The news story about Inky the octopus escaping from the National Aquarium of New Zealand really sparked my interest in these fascinating creatures.
Thank you for the feedback, and for the kind words. Do your octopus stories appear on your blog? I’d love to read them.
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This is really beautiful haiku and so sad at the same time. I like how you included body parts – arms for hugging and cuddling and heart which is the symbol of love already. Three hearts. Eight arms. So much love to spare and that makes their loneliness even worse. Octopuses are really strange and amazing animals and we probably will never really understand them.
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Thank you for your insightful comments. When I wrote this one, I wasn’t sure if it would connect with anyone. I was pleasantly surprised by the reception it got.
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