Brian’sPoems

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.

Search tips

Search by title, first line, poem text, book, or type — results appear as you type. Look inside the poems for any word or line, or wrap a phrase in "quotes" to find it exactly. Use the chips and the book menu to narrow things down.

← All poems

Chinese Furniture

In my office are several pieces
of cheap, faux wood Chinese furniture.
They’re mostly painted black,
super easy to assemble,
both sensible and convenient.

I can now barely remember
when all furniture was pine,
oak, or even cherry,
and perhaps worth keeping
for a thousand years or more.

But what is a single day
in this world consumed
by nukes and news cycles?
How long can the markets maintain
the precarious balance
of Chinese furniture
and the passion to live forever?

Published in