Ranch Life – Page 23 – Neil Meili

Neil Meili

Zen Cowboy Poet & Freelance Philosopher

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Category: Ranch Life

Canada Geese

Audio Recordings, Farm, Nature, Ranch Life / tagged Autumn, Birds, Fall, Hunting / October 12, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The seeing geese fly freer now
across the autumn sky

No longer do they gorge
on my father's golden grain

No longer do I lie in wait
twelve gauge at the ready
to bring them in for dinner

Wishbone Wish

Audio Recordings, Family, Nostalgia, Ranch Life / October 11, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

I blow out the candles
and wish for a wishbone
dry as day after thanksgiving

Me and my big sister
pulling on the brittle arms
across the old ranch table

so many candles ago
that neither remembers
who got the bigger half

The Farmer

Audio Recordings, Family, Farm, Ranch Life / tagged Generosity, Thanksgiving / October 10, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The farmer stands
on land so flat you have to
curve your mind over the end of it
to keep from losing touch with the earth

Deep within him
runs the quiet goodness
of those who feed more than they eat

While above the air is full
of siren songs to lure his young away

1 Reply

Storm Windows on the Prairie

Audio Recordings, Farm, Ranch Life, Remembering / tagged Autumn, Fall / October 7, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Memories that Stick

Audio Recordings, Farm, Ranch Life / October 6, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Memories that Stick # 8 Flypaper in the Kitchen

Farms have flies
and choose who dies
and children learn it young

Ancient kings
put heads on pikes
to warn of upstarts fate

but didn't have to listen to
the buzzing while they ate

Buffalo Chips

Audio Recordings, Cattle, Cows, Farm, Manure, Nostalgia, Ranch Life / tagged Childhood, Play / October 3, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Lily pads floating
on the sea of prairie grass

Heat for the tepees
or the homesteader's cabin

Nothing wasted in the West

And every boy knew
that a good sharp stick or a pointy-toed shoe
would let you know
if one was just right, or still a little too new

And I'm here to tell you, that compared to a good dry chip
meeting a West wind's invitation
a Frisbee is a weak and poor, plastic imitation

Conversations with Horses

Audio Recordings, Farm, Ranch Life / tagged Horses / October 2, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

I never had a horse that talked to me
like Mr. Ed on sixties TV

If I had I might have learned a lot

I did talk to them of course
but mostly by knee and rein and spur
and sometimes thank you for a job well done

As for messages to me, I can only imagine
- or count the number of times bucked off

Smells of the Corrals

Audio Recordings, Cattle, Cows, Farm, Manure, Ranch Life / tagged Horses / October 1, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Horses don’t smell like cows
except when your nose is full
of acrid smoke at branding time

Disinfectant
from the pail for sloshing on the bag
after their prairie oysters are shucked
and later them oysters on the open fire

Burning
from the wire-saw freeing the ingrown horn

Dung flung
and dung hung on boots and belt and butt
from the calf that beat you at ‘who throws who’

1 Reply

Old Barn Leaning

Audio Recordings, Farm, Ranch Life, Remembering / September 28, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Still standing by the grace
of planks to the east
wind to the west

and a world in every
dust mote memory

Gravel Lane

Audio Recordings, Family, Farm, Ranch Life, Travel / September 26, 2022 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

You turn off the main road
head east over the little rise
down the long slope to the buildings

Crushed rock, crushed again
talking back to your tires

as eloquent as Demosthenes
spitting pebbles by the sea

On ranch-house porch
half a mile away
sight blocked by
trees and hedge

she knows which truck
who’s driving
and what kind of
day you’re having

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NEIL MEILI on Grocery Shopping in AustinDecember 13, 2025
Thanks Pamela, Love to see some of your haiku and you and Pamela in the new year. All blessings, Neil…
pat psooy on Saturday Night in AustinDecember 6, 2025
Kinda like that better than the shining lights of Vegas
Pamela on Grocery Shopping in AustinDecember 5, 2025
Hi Neil! And Neil is still Neil! Hoping to see you and Dorsey in the new year. My poems have…
Nancy Fierstien on Don’t Judge A House By Its CoverDecember 3, 2025
Another terse verse way to capture the way I feel about living under a blue tin roof for almost 30…
Iudita Harlan on Longing for FamilyNovember 26, 2025
Neil Lovely poem. Sending love to you and Darcy. Iudita

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