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.


Relax

Let things run their course.

For those mornings when my sides ache,
not from laughing, but because of yoga
when I twisted my body
until the inevitable release of that long-stored tension
shoots pain down my spine –
I have this meditation.

I also have Advil
and the desperate hope
more yoga might help.
Yet after several days struggling
just to stand on my feet
and even to sit up straight,
I return to that lesson
wise spirits have been trying
to teach me all along:

Relax and do very little.
There are some things
which cannot be remedied
by trying harder.