Neil Meili

Zen Cowboy Poet & Freelance Philosopher

Skip to content

Home
Contact
Neil’s Books
Poems
Kind Words
A Neil a Day Poems

Featured post

An Invitation

Uncategorized / September 21, 2018 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Neil wanders the world in awe – Mirrors and metaphor everywhere. You can join him on this journey with a Poem in your Inbox every day. CLICK HERE to start today

The Road Less Re-travelled

Audio Recordings, Nostalgia, Remembering / tagged Depression, Forgiveness, Grief, Regret, Sadness / June 7, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Giving up hope for a better past
has been recommended by many
for forgiveness and for happiness

Easy enough to say when the sun
is shining on the road you're on
but what of dark and rainy nights
with the wipers scratching the glass
what of sleepless photo albums rich
with pictures that you didn't get to take

Happiness is fine for givers of advice
for those of all of us flipping pages
some forgiveness would be very nice

The Albums

Audio Recordings, Family, Nostalgia, Relationships, Remembering / tagged Aging, Connection, Pictures / June 6, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Mother's shrinkage was marked by domicile

House, apartment, retirement and nursing home
shedding at each move, furniture, china and art
except for, and never, the old photo albums
heavy in padded leather brown and green

Each visit when conversation stuttered to a stall
(Religion all but Baptist drowned and what use is weather without crops)
out would come the albums
and in we all would dive
for pennies bright and shiny
at the bottom of the pool

Here's one from 1958
How young the queen looked then

Cousins Round the Campfire

Audio Recordings, Family, Relationships / June 5, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Green twig pals by blaze
one will bend up one bend down
one will tell the town

Author age 12 with cousins Wayne and Lyle

Cousin Wayne

Audio Recordings, Family, Remembering / tagged Alcohol, Death, Innocence, Regret / June 4, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

When Wayne was thirteen
he had the finest blondest hair
the finest features and the finest mind
of all the cousins round

A city boy and cooler about everything than all of us
until we took him hunting

When his first shot hit the rabbit
he ran and cried and held it til it died

At eighteen he quit school with A grades
a month before graduation to get a jump on a job
met a girl and bragged of achievement on first date

Over achievement it turned out to be
quick marriage, quick, two children, three

Army for security, liquor for the pain
it was twenty years before I saw him again

He was in a downstairs bar
sitting there as coarse and thick as adobe brick

I wanted to roll it all back
reach in for the lost fineness and yank it all inside out

And hold him like the rabbit when he cried
still innocent when it died

Copper Left Her Laugh

Audio Recordings, Relationships, Remembering / tagged Joy, Loss, Memory / June 3, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

It is on her answering machine
It is in the hearts of a thousand friends
As she laughs at death or with it

A Debbie Moment

Audio Recordings, Personal Growth, Relationships / tagged Death, Fear, Freedom, Struggle, Trust / June 2, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

I was noticing again the other day
watching a movie, strangely enough
called "Remains of the Day"
that even though you had died
you haven't gone away

In the movie
a bird gets trapped in the house
and tries to fly
through the high ceiling glass

Remember the time in Austin
when the sparrow was trying in panic to escape this way

And you spoke to it in your stardust voice
and it landed in trust in your hands

I remember the windows you flew against
and your trust so light in my hands

And it's a comfort to see you and the sparrow
both flying free

Judy

Audio Recordings, Poems about Poetry, Relationships / tagged Death, Grief, Jealousy, Regret, Suicide / June 1, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Judy was a beauty
tall and blonde and shy
early this month she decided to die

The soft wise eyes, the curling lashes
all now ashes

We have been friends for twenty years
hugs and coffee when in town, cards when far away

And always the latest poetry

She said it was important, and it touched her
in places nothing and no one else could reach

Three years ago
I put my neck in a green-eyed noose

I sent no cards, I did not call

I do not know if I could have saved her
though touch and poetry have been known to

I only know I hate what I did and didn't do
I only know that she drowned out there alone
I only know it was a long time since I had thrown her a line

1 Reply

The Other Well

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Capacity, Communication, Generosity / May 31, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

for Kim Heinrich

No need to ask
the depth of their well

What they say
is not how you'll tell

1 Reply

The Well

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Capacity, Generosity, Giving, Need / May 30, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

There is no need to tell
the depth of your well

Just let each drink
according to their thirst

Timmy’s Down the Well

Audio Recordings / tagged Charity, Compassion, Generosity, Need / May 29, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Timmy's down the well
or in the words of Lassie
Woof woof woof arf arf woof
Timmy's down the well

Lay down your tools
set aside your quarrels
everyone come running
Timmy's down the well

There's nothing like
a big-bellied Biafra baby
to open hearts and wallets

Nothing like a crooked grin
to get us on the Smile Train

It's happening again in Haiti
the smallest with the least
are calling for our largest best

Sometimes it takes a child
to raise a village

Smile Train The world’s largest cleft-focused organization has a sustainable and local model of supporting surgery and other forms of essential care.

1 Reply

Post navigation

← Older posts

Search

Neil’s Latest Book Available in Paperback and Large Print Edition though Amazon worldwide

Social

View zencowboypoet’s profile on Facebook
View @meilineil’s profile on Twitter
View neilmeili’s profile on Instagram

Want More Poetry? Sign Up Here.

Sandi Hebley on JudyJune 1, 2026
😢 Hugs!
Kimberly Heinrich on The Other WellMay 31, 2026
Neil: THANK YOU for this!! Love it!! You are the best!!!💕💕
Sandi Hebley on Timmy’s Down the WellMay 29, 2026
🤗 Love this!
Barb on Dog WhistlersMay 26, 2026
That is an amazing, precious picture! So dear.
Anonymous on WisdomMay 17, 2026
🤗 Very wise and true.

Audio Recordings
Cattle
Cowboy Poetry
Cows
Environment
Family
Farm
Flight
Haiku
Limerick
Manure
Nature
News
Nostalgia
Personal Growth
Pilots
Poems about Poetry
Ranch Life
Relationships
Remembering
String Too Short To Save
Travel
Uncategorized

Tags

Aboriginal Aging Alcohol Art Art & Artists Autumn Beauty Birds Childhood Communication Connection Covid19 Death Dogs Dreams Faith Family Fear First Nations Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horses Humor Loss Love Memory Mother Music Nature Perspective Poetry Prairie Psychology Ranch Life Regret Religion sensuality Solitude Spring War Winter Wisdom

©2015 Neil Meili. All Right Reserved.

Theme Designed By ThemeVan | Powered by WordPress

Loading Comments...

Write a Comment...

Email

Name

Website