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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Responsibility

...requires reflection.

There are many things
too near to touch
and too close to see.
Responsibility is one of them.

Some of us hold responsibility
so near to our head and chest
we cannot distinguish ourselves
from its suffocating embrace.

For others, responsibility
is as elusive as the courage
to confront the reality
of our self-serving youth.

The most heroic among us
take up responsibility as needed,
then leave it behind
when it is no longer required.

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