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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My First Poem

...is called “Gothic Love.”

I often forget
my poetry is me,
naked on this page
- the blood, guts, bones,
and whatever else
my soul reveals to me
when I stop worrying
how I look in the mirror.

I no longer recognize
the vulnerability that I felt
when I shared my first poem.
Yet I remember the place,
a coffee shop in Sacramento.

It took a while for me to summon
the courage necessary to speak.
Afterward, the rush of emotion
compelled me to flee the scene.

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