The universe is my mind,
        and my mind is the universe.
            — Lu Hsiang-shan (1139-1193)


You are the universe—
not ephemeral body
but eternal spirit

existing before the sun
beyond day and night
when time was yet born.

You are the universe—
exploring the Milky Way,
Orion and the Pleiades,

black holes, white holes,
over the edge of space
stargates to many mansions.

You are the universe—
the blue sky your canvas,
white clouds your brushstrokes

at night you sculpt the moon
from crescent to fullness
sprinkling wishes into stars.

You are the universe—
harp of eleven strings
harmony of the spheres

Beethoven's Last Quartets,
Massenet's Meditation,
Zipoli's Elevazione.

You are the universe—
ascending spiral staircase
of DNA double helix

past lives open doors
to ancient memories,
Elders share their wisdom.

You are the universe—
north, south, east, west,
past, present, future,

waking, dream, deep sleep,
your mind in Eternal Now
forever afresh.

You are the universe—
a song bird is singing
deep within your heart

this river of atoms
spinning out to the stars
with Love that is you.


      Peter Y. Chou
      Mountain View, 10-8-2010