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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Flowers in the Winter

Why not?

Some old men
are like a toothless tiger;
there’s a whiff of danger,
but not much threat.
His stripes are faded
and he’s become
the playful cub
of his childhood.

Others are just too hardened,
encased within jagged stone
forged in the fires of unrealized love,
and are now gasping
for just enough oxygen
to keep on breathing.

Age is a precious gift
and loving,
after a long and difficult life,
is like flowers in the winter.

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