Smiling Moon
Smiling Moon Noh Mask
Heavenly Buddha Mask



Audrey Hepburn sings
"Moon River" (1961)


Beethoven (1802):
"Moonlight Sonata"


Alex Grey: "Zena
Gazing at the Moon" (1996)


Apollo 8: "Earthrise"
by William Anders
(12-24-1968)


U.S. C76:
First Man on the Moon
(issued 9-9-1969)


Native Americans
honors November
as Beaver Moon

Why Is the Moon Smiling?

"Are you my huckleberry friend
drifting, waiting for me at the bend?"
sang Audrey Hepburn in "Moon River".

Honored in music— "Moonlight Sonata"
by Beethoven and "Song to the Moon"
by Czech composer Antonin Dvorak.

Placed on the top of paintings—
Alex Grey's "Zena Gazing at the Moon"
and Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night".

In photography, Apollo 8's "Earthrise"
& Ansel Adams' "Moonrise: Hernandez,
New Mexico"— 20th century masterpiece.

In poetry, Giacomo Leopardi's
"Alla Luna": "O, lovely moon,
how well do I recall thee".

In science, Apollo 11's man's Moon
landing in 1969 as Neil Armstrong
says "that's one giant leap for mankind."

In myth, Native Americans have names
Wolf Moon, Worm Moon, Buck Moon,
Sturgeon Moon, and Beaver Moon.

In legends, Chang O drank her
husband's elixir of immortality
and flies to the Moon.

The Moon is smiling because
not the Sun but her companion
the Earth has asked her to dance.

    — Peter Y. Chou
        Mountain View, 10-6-2022
"Moon River" album
by Henry Mancini


Antonin Dvorak (1901):
"Song to the Moon"


Vincent Van Gogh:
"Starry Night" (1889)


Ansel Adams:
"Moonrise" (1961)


Giacomo Leopardi:
"Alla Luna" poem (1821)


China 1484
Chang O Flies to Moon
(issued 9-29-1966)


Moon Orbits Earth