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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Compassion

...for myself…

Mirror or no mirror,
it’s incredibly difficult
to see ourselves clearly.

In a world designed
to reflect and reinforce
who we think we are,
our true self falls
ever further behind
a great façade.

Someone once told me
I’m neither good nor bad,
but rather a complex being
capable of responding
with the best or the worst
of what’s within me.

I don’t know about you,
but I find it liberating
not to judge myself harshly,
to reclaim my true self
through new opportunities
to deliver the very best
I have to offer.