Neil Meili

Zen Cowboy Poet & Freelance Philosopher

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Tag Archives: Love

A Villanelle to Marry Well

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Choice, Conflict, Love / February 15, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

In seeking love at any price
pretending war in love is fair
a villanelle will not suffice

Ignoring all old sage advice
will not wisely get you there
in seeking love at any price

Sun Tsu’s arts don’t read twice
in plotting how to make a pair
a villanelle will not suffice

Do not farm for thrown rice
with no paddy pure to share
in seeking love at any price

For wafting wiles of scented spice
to lure your quarry to your lair
a villanelle will not suffice

Hiding the plot with veil of nice
will not a loving home prepare
in seeking love at any price
a villanelle will not suffice

Shelter

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Chaos, Forgiveness, Healing, Love, Survival, Uncertainty, War / February 14, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

We parked our souls in the shade of the chaos - Bill Holm

Tho around and within us din
we forgave each stumbling sin
'kissed it well' the oft barked shin

and warmed each other in the bed
still the envy of the dead

Stranger Connections

Audio Recordings, Family, Personal Growth, Relationships / tagged Compassion, Love, Wisdom / November 28, 2024 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The small round Rinpoche at Esalen
was teaching Tibetan compassion

Start from where you are he said
feel the love you feel for one or two
or the people nearest dearest to you

Holding that feeling indiluted
add one more and then one more
til you start to feel the feeling fade
then pull back in til you feel it again

Sit with this today all day
and tomorrow try to add another
and if that works then add another
til every man becomes your brother

Learning Love

Audio Recordings, Family, Relationships / tagged Care, Child, Illness, Love, Parents / October 27, 2024 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Sitting by your sick child's bed
and willing every breath till dawn
you learned what love was
and that
you would ever be a slave to it
and that's
what makes the world go round

Mother’s Poem

Audio Recordings, Cattle, Cows, Family, Farm, Nostalgia, Ranch Life, Relationships, Remembering / tagged Care, Love / August 5, 2024 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The kitchen has always been the center of the universe of any farm or ranch

She feeds their sleepy forms in morning
clothes them for the cold or warm
and prays them safe from harm

Looks out her window to the east
where barn shadows and rolling hills
greet them as they start their day

Men in firm direction to their work
children scattering to play

Then south across the lake to catch the water's mood foretelling wind or calm

Sometimes sees in morning
mirages of cutbanks rising
like mountains along the Eastern shore

Or more directly to the south
forms of her neighbour's homes rising and shimmering like memories of her youth

Seasons spiral out and in from this center
crocus and buttercups in the greening grass
cactus flowers and the joy of newborn calves

The growing season of the grain
and golden glory of a well stooked field

The shortening of days into winter
and the ever present stars
joined by the dance of northern lights

Within each season she has watched the play of seasons of each day
men returning from roundup
children from their play

While she waits always at the center
to warm and love

and safely tuck away

Mom and brother Wally in the ranch kitchen 1952

So Easy to Love Those Who Love

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Connection, Friendship, Love / June 29, 2024 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

My first teacher hated teaching
and wasn’t fond of students either
I’d show you the strap marks
on my hands but they’re all growed over

Our second teacher loved teaching
and specially me each of us thought

I love watching sunsets
with someone who loves watching sunsets
Love howling at the moon
with someone who loves howling at moons

I never asked but guess
my second teacher loved sunsets and moons

Do Not Complain

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Fear, Love, Optimism, Pessimism / December 4, 2023 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Do not complain
that rain or love has come too late

That kind of coat will keep you much too dry

Do not complain for fear
that complaining will keep them forever away

That kind of coat will keep you much too cold

For Victor

Audio Recordings, Relationships / tagged Aging, Care, Dogs, Love / November 30, 2023 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The only trick an old dog can learn
is how to be an old dog

The minimum of turns one has to take
before lying down for that nap

That a bark is as good as a chase
for keeping squirrels off the deck

And that after all these years
of standing up for your standing friends
you've likely earned their kneeling by you now

Memory Care

Audio Recordings, Relationships, Remembering / tagged Aging, Alzheimers/Dementia, Care, Love, Memory / November 24, 2023 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Will the memories I want to remember
last longer than those I'd like to forget

Will I still remember how to tie my shoes
when I've grown too stiff to reach them

Will you be there to remind me of you
will you kindly tie that shoe

For Paul and Linda Fite

1 Reply

The Girl From Away

Audio Recordings, Farm, Nostalgia, Ranch Life, Remembering / tagged Love, Teenager / September 21, 2023 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

I was sixteen, it was summer

Hauling wheat to town in the 3-ton Chevy
A quart of store-bought buttermilk
on the seat for the trip back to the ranch

There was a girl, my age and beautiful
visiting in the last house on the left

Sometimes she would be
on the street or in the yard

The truck was new and powerful
I was farm boy healthy, strong

We were hitting on all cylinders

It was warm, the window was open
I was in love, the buttermilk was cold

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Anonymous on Cowboys Will Be BoysMarch 6, 2025
I love this poem make more like it
Nancy Fierstien on Redwoods in the RainFebruary 27, 2025
Love, love, love, love, love this one Neil!
Neil on Dog YearsFebruary 22, 2025
Thanks Kim, Sometimes the poems seem to know. Sorry for your loss, Neil
Ken Christopher on Buddy TrainingFebruary 19, 2025
Yep, tough love
Kimberly Heinrich on Dog YearsFebruary 18, 2025
You could not possibly have known that today was the day that I had to have my beloved dog euthanized.…

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