Neil Meili

Zen Cowboy Poet & Freelance Philosopher

Skip to content

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

Tag Archives: Love

We Are All Mostly Water

Audio Recordings, Environment, Nature, Personal Growth / tagged Effects, Hate, Love, Science / May 29, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

It rains on the ocean too
and sometimes you cry in the shower

The water don't care unless you love it

and can see in each drop
the seed of the snowflake resting

Here is a link to a video showing water exposed to words of love or hate.

Father’s Poem

Audio Recordings, Family, Poems about Poetry, Relationships / tagged Care, Loss, Love, Nurturing / March 29, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

My father's poems
did not come down to us on paper

He was eight years old when his mother died
his youngest brother not yet three

They say he adopted the care
of the sweet sad child
and told him a story each night

Night after night after night
new stories he made up each night

And he would gather him up in the story
and hold him there
until he slept

1 Reply

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

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.

Nancy Fierstien on Hard to Get War Poems to RhymeJune 3, 2025
Thanks for sharing this one, my friend. It packs a good punch, line after line. I'll be glad to give…
Christie flaman on Going ProMay 17, 2025
Old cowboy saying: Never a horse that couldn’t be rode, never a cowboy that couldn’t be thrown Thank you for…
Ken Christopher on Going ProMay 16, 2025
That’s pretty funny, and fun to read
Nancy Fierstien on Spring Came InMay 12, 2025
You've certainly captured these crazy times with finesse and grace, my Friend!
Nancy Fierstien on Remembering WhenMay 8, 2025
I'm betting "slow motion" was never your style!

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 Birds Childhood Communication Connection Covid19 Death Dogs Dreams Faith Family Fear First Nations Friendship Gratitude Grief Healing Hope Horses Humor Love Mother Music Nature Perspective Poetry Politics Prairie Psychology Ranch Life Regret Religion sensuality Solitude Spring Trump Voice Dialogue War Winter Wisdom

©2015 Neil Meili. All Right Reserved.

Theme Designed By ThemeVan | Powered by WordPress

Loading Comments...

Write a Comment...

Email

Name

Website