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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Zombies

Zombies are all the rage.
It’s easy to understand
when I step back,
then take a deep breath
and look around.

We’re all wide-awake
and doing,
but not truly being
in our bodies,
or in the presence
of the Spirit.

Maybe I’ve seen too much death,
but haven’t deeply felt
its cold hand upon me.
Maybe it’s that I have two degrees
and a handful of certifications,
which mean nothing in the wilderness.

I push back on your faith,
whether in me
or in a punitive god.
It took living my life
outside of a class
to realize we’re all being
created and used,
both here and there.

It’s not what you think
which moves us
and animates our souls
to a useful end.
A dog can probably smell it,
but we must fall
into it.
Let the integrity of not-knowing
become the firm and fertile ground
of your being.
Take a puff of Serenity,
then pass it along.