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.


Uncertain Times

What happened to that guy
who used to wave his Bible in traffic,
wearing the placards
with pictures of fetuses?
I admired his tenacity
and the strength of his faith.
No matter the weather,
he just stood there,
defiant amidst the middle fingers
and the glances askew.
And he seemed uncorrupted
by the adulatory honks,
and attaboys of well-wishers.

I didn’t agree with him then
and I don’t agree with him now.
But I miss the predictable assuredness
of his convictions.
It was a yardstick against which
I could measure myself,
and my own overblown morality.

Now at that intersection,
there hangs uncertainty where he used to stand.
It has spread up and down the block.
I wonder if he lost his faith
in the words of his teachings.
I know I have.