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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Browse the Twelve Volumes
Brian’s collected pieces, volume by volume.
To Kill a Watt
I remember a lot of things
based on date, image and sensation.
But I especially remember things my dad said,
because they keep coming up,
over and over,
in the myriad monotonies of life.
He often told me,
“Get in or out of the refrigerator!”
Which makes sense only if you knew his concern
for keeping the house warm,
for keeping the refrigerator cold,
for the price of electricity.
What’s the price of a kilowatt hour?
This I was never told.
However, thanks to my dad,
I waste a lot less of them,
than I otherwise would.