The Collected Writings of Brian J. Mueller

A single poem, met at the right moment, can change a life.

Search and read all 1,834 pieces by Brian J. Mueller — 1,675 poems, 38 prose pieces, and 121 haiku from 12 published volumes. Free to read and share.

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A Little Stink

Please don’t pull his finger.

Everybody has some stink on ‘em,
and probably some more in ‘em.
We usually smell the stink first,
yet we can often see it too.

There’s nothing wrong
with just a little stink.
Ask any dog
who easily smells things
incomprehensible to us.

I’d say it’s a good thing
dogs aren’t harsh judges
of those pungent aromas
found lying on the earth,
or in all the strange places
they’re just as likely
to stick their noses.

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