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.
Browse the Twelve Volumes
Brian’s collected pieces, volume by volume.
Mortality
I grieve my mortality,
that day I awoke
and saw the real me
staring through the mirror
with a look of shock
and panicked ignorance.
You might say, “Huh?”
You might say, “I know.”
You might say, “What’s the point
of passing the point of no return?”
Acceptance is a choice,
letting go another choice,
grieving yet another.
What a gift it is
to be born again
out of the ashes
of my unyielding certainty!
If I could deny it,
I would.
If I could go back and try again,
I would.
Yet nothing would assuage
my mortal angst.