Neil Meili

Zen Cowboy Poet & Freelance Philosopher

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Tag Archives: War

Gone is Gone

Audio Recordings, News, Relationships / tagged Despair, Lonliness, Loss, Separation, War / March 9, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

A just war, an unjust war
or just war

A midnight arm, flung
across an unmade bed

Half empty or half full

Reading the News and Watching the Butterflies

Audio Recordings, Nature, News / tagged Depression, Terror, War / March 8, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

War No More

Audio Recordings, Poems about Poetry / tagged Conflict, Fodder, Military, Peace, Replacements, War / February 27, 2026 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

He wanted to end all wars
by stepping out of the killing line
to write a poem that would stop it all

Surprised to find how fast
the next steps up and the line moves on

To War and Then What

Audio Recordings / tagged Addiction, Loss of Innocence, Memorials, PTSD, Trauma, War / November 12, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

To send your children away
to come back corpses or killers
and there may be less difference
between them than we know

In the musical Streets written
for the homeless of Austin
they sing of the addicted vet
put to rest thirty years later

He really died in Vietnam
put his name up on the wall

Remembrance Day Coming Up A Storm

Audio Recordings, Remembering / tagged Armistice Day, Death, Grief, Mourning, Peace, Sacrifice, Soldiers, Veterans, War / November 11, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The wind dries
tears upon the cheeks
while flags go clapping on

Leaves & petals
dance on wreaths
leaning on the cenotaph

And is that
whisling that we hear
a tune for less war or more

Prairie Boys

Audio Recordings / tagged Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Travel, Veterans, War / November 10, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Peaceful in a non-committal way
more likely to be killed by machinery
than a fellow human being

If you wanted to see a war
you would have to travel across
a great deal of land and more sea

Careful always with your cash
you would not purchase a return ticket

Going off to war – North West Mounted Police Division – Expanse, Saskatchewan, 1915

Mittens

Audio Recordings, Ranch Life / tagged Community, Leaving Home, War / November 9, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Fingers in mittens
are family keeping
each other warm

The cold indifference of gloves
much like the city fold that wore them

Pilots in the war had
mittens with a trigger finger
to do what needed to be done

Somewhere we had got a pair
a hero sometimes has to leave home

Claws

Audio Recordings / tagged Danger, Identity, War / October 18, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

The claw of the badger is the badger
and of the bear the bear

As weapons of war are war
and the teeth of the trap the trap

Oh tender soul that you are
may you never have to test this truth

Harem Scarem

Audio Recordings, Haiku / tagged Death, Grief, Insecurity, Suicide Bombing, Violence, War / August 14, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

Harems and bomb belts
men can't stand comparison
more virgins weeping

Herd Mentality

Audio Recordings / tagged Dehumanization, Separation, War, Xenophobia / August 10, 2025 / by neil_2015_wordpress@neilmeili.com

North of the ranch house were the hills
named as a group and singly unfamed

Even old Frank who lived in a house
built full into one neer named the hill

Cows were a herd and never named
and a harem of horses was group only
until one condescended to carry you
and raised the relationship to naming

Armies, navies and those from away
were never parsed to persons

In Isreal many names and affections
in Gaza none
How to forget what I learned on the ranch

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Eda Lishman on How I Lost My Faith – In PreachersMarch 3, 2026
An epic moment for seven year olds! Wow how many lessons can you have in one incident? And a few…
Nancy Fierstien on A Tear for the RichFebruary 23, 2026
Another gem worth it's weight in gold from you, Neil Meili!
Sandi Hebley on Lonely LightFebruary 12, 2026
How sweet!
Anonymous on CirclesJanuary 18, 2026
Both Gloria and I were touched by your poem. Congrats. Tom and Gloria
LeoraLawrence Porter on Sacred DanceJanuary 18, 2026
Thank you, from an unknowing dancing healer! as for my liking… While I greatly, greatly appreciate your clarity of voice…

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