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

Tilt Tenderly

...as tenderness is a virtue.

Tilt tenderly,
listening, holding,
waiting patiently
for love to reach up,
snatch you by the collar,
and then pull you down
to the ground of your being.

Tilt tenderly your stoic heart
toward the innocent and the dying.
They hear music and dance easily
while you stand rigid, making excuses.

Tilt tenderly your rational mind
toward the absurdities of life,
like pain without reason
and God’s unconditional love.

Tilt tenderly toward solidarity.
Tilt tenderly toward solitude.
Tilt tenderly toward silence.
Tilt tenderly toward singing.
Tilt tenderly toward that something
already tilting tenderly toward you.

Published in