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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The Invitation

Open it.

Is anybody listening?
The invitation is right here
on bright yellow paper,
in an electronic mail,
sitting in your passenger seat,
strewn along the road,
scurrying in the shadows,
rustling in the wind,
floating in the puddle,
tempting you with sugar
and caffeine
and nicotine,
amplifying
those voices in your phone
questioning everything
from your choices,
to your worth,
to your will to continue
this difficult journey
as you resist those twin desires
to ignore and to forget,
until finally you accept the invitation
with open hands,
open eyes,
open ears,
open mouth,
and by the grace of God
an open heart.

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