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.


Memories Are the Ghosts

Memories are the ghosts of the past
and cannot easily be exorcised or forgotten
by drinking them away,
or even by speaking
and writing their names.

Death comes disjointed,
in bits and pieces,
year after year.
The swift bullet
or sudden seizing of the heart,
are more often the exceptions.

We all consort with ghosts
when we dream just before waking,
when we recall the days gone by
and the lovers lost along with them.

Everywhere you look
notice the spirits living among us.
Whether they help or haunt us,
it is up to you
and to the kind of spirit
you may one day become.