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.


Until Now

...as is always the case.

Don’t look at this day
from the daunting perspective
of what you hope to do.

Go ahead and forget everything
you already struggle to remember.

Deep inside you is someone else
who knows what needs doing
and will warn you if you stray
too far from the course.

In a long and busy life
confusion will always ensue,
as seasons meld and blend
into what must surely seem
like the longest day of your life.

But at the other end
of a lengthy exhale
will be an awakening.

On that new day
you’ll reach into your pockets
and find them stuffed full
of invitations to places
you could never imagine,
and would never have gone
until now.