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.
Browse the Twelve Volumes
Brian’s collected pieces, volume by volume.
Don't Make Things Worse
Don’t make things worse,
assuming they’re already
not going to plan.
Don’t make things worse,
because of a lack of imagination
to see them otherwise.
Don’t make things worse
by thinking they ought to be
something other than they are.
Don’t make things worse
by doing something
rather than just letting it go.
Don’t make things worse
by saying something,
spilling unhelpful words.
And don’t make things worse
by refusing God’s grace
to fully become the gift
you already are.