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

Dust and Ash

“It’s all dust and ash,”
said the soldier to his beloved
as the whistle sounded
summoning him to the train.

They stared at one another
with gaping eyes
utterly aware of this moment
the gravity
the insanity
the desperate hollowing out of their souls
leaving them breathless
painfully aware
as poets are aware
of the myriad feelings
of the looming tragedy
of lost you
and a portal opening
to death
to God.

Nothing ever again
not even a flower
smells the same
after war.

Dust and ash
hoarded in huge piles
by wealthy and powerful men
who would rather send you and me to our deaths
than to surrender to God.

Is there anything in your life
more inevitable than God?

Published in