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 Promise to Come Back

The pen breaks
but the words don’t stop.
Feelings keep pushing them
from one dimension
to the next.

Thinking keeps me awake
until I remember
to forget,
to leave it all behind
and be led into the darkness
by a cadre of silent pilgrims
and winged beasts.

Whether or not I remember
to order ink for my pen
is not so important
as remembering how thin
the veil of reality is.

Right before I wake
the spirits stuff my pockets,
and just before the facade of my life
begins to rise on the horizon,
I promise myself
to come back.