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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Watcha Gotta Do

Watcha gotta do is love,
which doesn’t seem like much
until you put it into practice.

Most of us need thirty or forty years
before we can understand
the very real and personal challenge
of loving everything,
especially ourselves.

Only then you can tell us
about lovin’ Monday mornings,
about lovin’ – 20 or 100 degrees,
about lovin’ your crazy neighbor
and your clueless boss.

You can then also tell us you forgive
the idiot who cut you off in traffic,
the lover who cheated,
and the kid who bullied you.

Or just maybe,
the shoe was on the other foot.
So now tell us how you love yourself
for all those things you did
or didn’t do.

Your journey towards love
will be as flawed and imperfect
as this rambling song.
Yet it is this very personal quest,
which will deliver you to love,
so long as you go
with courage, honesty, integrity
and an open heart.