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.

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.

← All poems

The Silver Lining

...is our capacity to connect and care.

There was a mass shooting
in my city last Saturday night.

Upon learning this news
I became completely numb,
unable to appreciate
the flood of concerned messages
from family and friends.

Because shootings happen,
everywhere and frequently,
to think about this tragedy
made me sigh in resignation,
so certain those dark forces
that foment these massacres
would work diligently to thwart
any collective response.

Yet after a long day
in which I began to feel
the deep pain and sadness
intertwined with the slaughter,
I started to notice and appreciate
the inherent desire deep within
to connect and to ensure
the well-being of everyone.

Published in