Giacometti, Walking Man
at 2010 Sotheby Auction


Leonardo, Proportions
of the Face (1498)


Pepper tree Λ-branch
Montebello Avenue


Houseleek, Paulson Park
(Aeonium arboretum)

Seeing the Soul Everywhere

It began with the Walking Man—
Giacometti's sculpture showing
the Platonic Lambda Λ (Timaeus 35b)—
"Soul of the Universe" manifesting

itself whenever we're walking—
then again in Leonardo's sketch
of the nose at the center of our
face whenever we're breathing.

Now the soul greets me in the branch
of the Pepper tree down the street
and the Houseleek in my courtyard
and the Butterfly Bush nearby.

I recall Gerard David's painting
of Cupid & Psyche with butterfly
over her head— for in Greek, both
Psyche and butterfly means "soul".

Crossing Rengstorff at Stanford Ave,
I see more lambda-shapes Λ in
the arrowhead sign of bike trails,
the pine cones scattered around,

on top of Pine trees and Redwoods
as well as V-shape of flying geese.
The sacred is no longer hidden—
I'm seeing the soul everywhere

for it's the soul that creates us,
sustains us and nourishes us—
the origin of all things—
Blessings from the soul, blessings for all.

        Peter Y. Chou
        Mountain View, 8-21-2017


Butterfly Bush
(Buddleia davidii)


Arrowhead Sign, Bike Lane
Rengstorff Ave, Mountain View



Pine Cone, Rengstorff Ave &
Stanford Ave, Mountain View



Lambda Λ-shape on top
of Redwood Tree across
Hackett Ave, Mountain View



Flight of Geese in V-formation
Lake Lagunita, Stanford University