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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Resistance

Some days the acid turns
over and over in my stomach,
and my ears hear nothing
but the painful din
of dishonest and broken voices.

Mostly men,
but more women now,
join in the senseless bickering
while slapping each other around.

I don’t want to know
how deep the grave,
how dark this night,
without something,
anything,
like a touchstone
I can hold onto
for hope.

Do I pray for these voices,
or raise my own in protest?
I want my resistance
to be something enduring—
like a hug
and a safe harbor
from all the uncertainty.