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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In His Eyes

To a man:

Try holding the gaze of another man.
Look deeply and without judgment into his eyes.
Surrender yourself in the moment.
Notice the tension pulling your eyes away,
your face becoming stone,
your stare projecting steel.

First let go your anger,
then your fear.
Let the sadness pool around your feet.
Notice how your countenance relaxes.
You’ll see this mirrored in his face,
as an earnestness begins to develop.
Then maybe you’ll both smile or nod slightly.

This is how men show love and respect
to the other men they know well,
or may not know at all.

In each and every man,
no matter how broken,
there is the need to love
and to be loved.
You can see it in his eyes.