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.

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Crying

My least favorite medicine.

I don’t like to cry
or to admit that I’ve cried,
and especially Idon’t like feeling
drained and debilitated
after crying.

Pointless suffering,
beyond existential imperatives
and those difficult lessons
we must all face,
is what makes my chest heave
and my eyes swell full
with angry tears of powerlessness.

I’ll cry, too,
when people join together,
supporting each other in common cause,
acknowledging their humanity,
both the good and the bad,
in the faces and stories of others.

Maybe if I cried more often
and cried more easily
it wouldn’t be so gut-wrenching.
And with a lighter heart
I might become more loving.

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