Poetry by Brian Rihlmann

            Tom Bennett CC



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​How Few There Are 
 
if you can find beauty 
in the way the sun kisses
broken Skid Row glass
and 
a three carat diamond
on Rodeo Drive
 
if you can find it
roaming downtown streets unwashed
among the tents and tarps
and
cruising the curves of Mulholland
chrome wheels flashing
 
if you can find it
in oil-sheen rainbows
on dirty puddles
and 
in the sea's blue miracle
Malibu at midday
 
if you can find it
in jaded eyes that glare 
until time itself stares at its feet
and
in the shy glance of a child
hidden in his mother's skirt
 
and if you can find it
in fallen and rotting fruit
as much as spring blossoms
and in the thorn and the blood
as much as the rose
 
then no matter who you are
or where you stand
there is already a beauty in you
and you need no nod 
from friends or family
from the mindless crowd
from god
or even 
from yourself



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Brian Rihlmann was born in New Jersey and currently resides in Reno, Nevada. He writes free verse poetry, and has been published in The Rye Whiskey Review, Slipstream, Chiron Review, The Main Street Rag and others. His latest poetry collection, “Night At My Throat” (2020) was published by Pony One Dog Press.
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