2014

SHE WAS A WEIGHTLIFTER

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She was a weightlifter
They found it unseemly
But she was a shape-shifter
Their disdain was a lighter burden to bear
Than her fate.

Slum lady. Carried mud and bricks
Bore stones and sticks
Firewood, rusted water in weeping baskets
The stretch marks of impatient thirsty men
Bunched up her muscles.

Owned by all, never owned a thing
The madams’ slaps, the masters’ secrets
Nothing was too heavy a load to carry
To snatch, to clean, to jerk off –
Each jerk. Very ordinary.

Today, when she steps out unto the mat
Under the lights, there you see
Sunset in one eye, sunrise in the other –
It’s not heavy weights she’s lifting
She’s carrying hope.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

MICHSELBST

~ Che ~ 11 Comments

Bach
Ach, nimm mich mit
Und nimm mich fort
Bis in die Tiefe
Unausgesprochener Gedanken.

Rette mich vor der Oberfläche
Bei so viel Luft kann ich kaum atmen.

Daß ich so lange dachte
Ich rede mit deinem Inneren –
Dabei spiegeltest du nur Michselbst wider
Und ich wußte es nicht –
Armer ich, armer ich.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

BABY

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He’s lying in the midst of his toys
And what language do they speak
To one another? They seem to understand
Each other. It’s his smile
That makes me strong.

I’m glad he can’t interpret my frown
When I look out of the window
Into the world, into the times –
Yes I’m glad for him
Let him store happiness in his heart today.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije..

LEAVING

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There was a girl
the fruit of her labour
Was the world
With a cry of pain and a shout of joy
She gave birth to the world
And primitive was the world

Harsh the lips that burned her nipples
Rough the tongue that broke her word
And we’re still here today
The earth is still not enough

Mother has become a stranger
The outcasts have grasped their destiny.

-Che Chidi Chukwumerije..

BUT

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There are many roads
But only one will lighten your load
The question is
What price are you prepared to pay?

Life gave me a lemon tree
A pinch of love will feed the multitude
The bearer of the word will walk on wind
And disappear unseen, grateful to have simply been
Himself.

What price are you prepared to pay?

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

LOVE YOUR FRIENDS TODAY

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Souls stranded at sea
Search-pilots say they are ghosts
Whisping like clouds on frothing waves

But fishermen swear they are worried human faces
Who approach with one plea:
To send one last message back home

Before they vanish:
It will be well
Until we meet again.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

APRIL

~ Che ~ 1 Comment

Her glance was taffeta
Smoothed down my trembling hands
Smoothed down my trembling hands
Oh morning glory
Oh these tremors have passed and
I’m asleep again on a Saturday morning
In the birth cradle of April.

Fresh rain, burgundy tears sprinkle sun, sprinkle dawn
Rainbows, silver and gold fingers
Then palmgreen sprouting hope hope
Then palmgreen sprouting hope.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

KINDNESS BEYOND POETRY

~ Che ~ 4 Comments

Be kind to people
Let kindness be your all, your strength, your gift
Your highest art-form, beyond craft
For you are human

Kindness is life
Kindness is the root of eternity smile
Kindness can move mountains
Can conquer pain
Gives us comfort in our hour of desolation
Kind eyes keep the heart alive

Kindness conquered me
Let kindness conquer you too
Become a servant of kindness
Become a master of hearts.

The naïve are not always naïve
Sometimes they are simply grateful to kindness
For kindness shown and kindness received
And now they too are passing kindness on to others
For one who has been saved by kindness
Will serve kindness evermore

Nothing sets a human heart free
Like the heartbeats of kindness deep within
Sometimes it’s difficult, sometimes it’s easy
Sometimes you forget, sometimes you remember

And in the moment of your death
It will be your acts of Unkindness that haunt you
And make you long for another life, another chance…

And it will be your acts of kindness
And the acts of kindness shown to you
That comfort you, give you hope
And show you the way into life after death

You are not alone.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

LOST PLANES

~ Che ~ 3 Comments

Like the lost letter
I sent to you – the postman never said
It never arrived
And I’m still waiting
For your unsuspecting reply
And yet it is you who are waiting
For me on the other side.

How can coplanar souls lose sight of each other?
Their calls echo leeward and die unheard.
How can planes fly into the wind and disappear
And leave gaping wounds behind
Lost at sea?

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

SOFTLY, KILL

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Not like that.
Crown the valley.
The hilltop is smoking.
Smoking gun.

Chewing gum.
Nonchalantly tracing and caressing your
Archipelago of feelings
Like a toy ship

Boning the corset
Gargle your gift of gab
Smiling to the ravine
Love is an aspic

Softly, steer
Softly, stir
Softly, pick
Softly, kill.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.