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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I Had to Divorce

...to appreciate marriage.

There came a point
when my education
mattered much less
than my ability to let go
of reason and rationality.

Like the unwinding of a clock,
it took regression and simplicity
to unravel the knots in my head
and restore blood flow to my heart.

I had to release
my drive for perfection
to understand good enough.

I had to realize
even well-meaning people
can inflict unintentional harm.

I had to grow
in order to shrink
to my proper size.

I had to love,
then suffer a great loss,
to make my love stronger.

I had to lose faith
to discover an infinite trust
in a God beyond comprehension.

And I had to die
a thousand times
to truly begin living.

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