James R. Meyer, a SaddleBrooke resident, has recently published his third book of poetry, The Mystical Quotidian (Outskirts Press, 2026). The collection contains more than 180 short, lyrical pieces that explore the subtle intersections of psychology, philosophy, and everyday human experience. A clinical psychologist by training, Dr. Meyer brings a reflective, often ironic sensibility to his work. His poems tend to probe rather than preach, inviting readers into moments of insight, contradiction, and emotional nuance. An example from the new book follows:
The Margins of Reality
The Margins of Reality
were narrowly defined
by all of the requirements
that you had been assigned -
that you had been admired -
that you had been implored -
that you had then colluded with
by how you then ignored -
and how you then negated -
and how you then took flight -
and how your eyes grew misty when
the margins came in sight.
Dr. Meyer’s first book, The Lure: A Poetic Exploration of the Pleasures and Perils of Love (Outskirts Press, 2005), introduced readers to his interest in the shifting terrain of intimacy and self‑perception. Even in these early poems, his voice blends playfulness with psychological precision. A sample from that collection:
Then
We become enamored of;
then rendezvous;
then fall in love;
then thank our lucky stars above -
then ask, “What were we thinking of?”.
His second collection, Closer to the Edge: A Poetic Journey through the Skyways, Byways, and Tunnels of Reality (Outskirts Press, 2011), broadened his thematic range. These poems move through states of ambiguity and transition. An example:
Twilight
We’re living in the Twilight -
where dark and light are one;
where dreaming and reality
will blur and veil the sun;
where cool invades, quiet pervades,
and shadows win their fight;
where what’s defined is undermined
and fades into the night.
Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Jim spent most of his professional life in Denver, Colorado, where he served as president of the Columbine Poets, the Colorado chapter of the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship in cognitive therapy at the University of Pennsylvania, he coauthored the first edition of Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders (Beck, Freeman and Associates; Guilford Press, 1990), a foundational text in the field.
Dr. Meyer has lived in SaddleBrooke since 2021 and credits the SaddleBrooke Writers’ Group with supporting the development of The Mystical Quotidian. All three of his poetry collections are available on Amazon and at the SaddleBrooke One library.
