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

Embodied

I’d like to live a long life
Ninety years seems about right.
Then again, maybe I don’t know
just what it is I’m asking.

There is a bargain
which must be struck with longevity,
and not all are willing to consciously sit
before the blind council of the aged
listening to their terms of surrender,
including those myriad things
we must see, feel and know,
but would much rather not
see, feel and know.

A great release comes
in surrendering our lives for others.
The real trick is in taking
the arduous spiritual journey
necessary to keep our souls
embodied.

Published in