That moment
When the bitterness
Isn’t bitter enough to sour
Your forgiveness smile
And yet sad is the smile.
How friends fall away like unmasked leaves
Unable to bear the weight of trust
In all its lightness
Treachery by politeness.
– CHE CHIDI CHUKWUMERIJE.
Brief was our meet
Thick and soft, quick
The covers fell
And when it was over
There were no seeds left over
That fell
No strings
No roots
No fruits
Yet something holds me still there
They way you smiled and sadly whispered
So you’ve forgotten me now.
– CHE CHIDI CHUKWUMERIJE.
I don’t exist
I died when I was a child
My parents killed me
This is a ghost
A flag fluttering in the wind
A nameless mound
A seeking that has grown weary
Of seeking – a being
That has tired of being
But being me
I must be and wait
For my funeral song, composed by me.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
I see you in this moment as a river, flowing out.
If you touch it, it makes your fingers wet. If you drink it, you get thirstier. If you watch it, you never come to find out its wherefrom or whereto. If you dive in, it takes you to a place from which you can’t return.
So you have to be strong, and outriver the river and outthirst your thirst, for the river flows in you.
And if these words mystify you, then you understand the effect you have on many people.
But when you dive in, dive deep into the river’s bed and clench its roots with your teeth and bite, so hard, that it bleeds. Then will you see the river run…
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Life is a burden made light
By the weight of sacrifice
Your life is useless unless used to the full
For something meaningful and useful.
Self is heavy, selflessness is light
The battle is painless for them that fight
The volunteer’s prize is dignity
Freedom is not for free.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
from THE BEAUTIFUL ONES HAVE BEEN BORN
***
Last night something strange
Cracked a door open on the wall
Of my memory, without even knockin’ twice
It came out of nowhere, suddenly.
A song, I was 17, house party
Whose house? I don’t remember any more
There she was, in the dark
Dancing with me, like I was the night wind
She a young tree, swaying, leaves shuddering slowly
Two shadows in a room full of shadows
House of teenagers about to wake up
From youth with only memories faded of yesterday
How long did this song quietly travel
Through time, to waylay me in that lookback moment last night
And take me back to that other night so many years ago?
Every memory I think I’ve forgotten
Is stored in some song somewhere, seeking me again
So don’t ask me why I’m dancing oldskool
Time is a candyman, stuck to your melting heart
Memory memory will knock your boots back
Never ever ever gonna let you go
Where is she now? My young mango.
She is a part of this song now
And last night I saw her, danced with her, again.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerijeem>
Kidnapped
Is there still hope for me?
The sun sets sadly as slowly as he can
By the last light of day
Find my way
Did you see the baby that was stolen?
Did you see the boy that was broken?
However hard you look, you will see
No resemblance at all between them and
The man now woken, now walking.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Left Simpli City
Travelled to Dupli City
Influenced by someone from Compli city.
So what’s the name of the whole country?
The Queen of Compli City
Was bored. She disguised as a lost maiden
And went to the King of Simpli City
Who fell in love with her.
She sweet-talked and brainwashed him
And he rode into Dupli City
To challenge the King of Dupli City
To a conflict of interests.
So, looks like Compli city
Was trying to use Simpli City
To defeat Dupli City
After having first compromised Simpli City.
How smart.
But of course the King of Dupli City
Saw through all this
And decided to play along.
Pretending to ride into battle
Against the army of Simpli City
In the full view of Compli City
Secretly he sends messages to Simpli City
Poor Simpli City, as it falls
Lost in the web of too many words
Not knowing whom to believe now
Compli City or Dupli City.
But underneath the ruins of Simpli city
Lies the ancient foundation of Tena City
Where a Child is born who says my name
Is different, my name is Clarity.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Some smoke grass
Some cut grass, they love to mow the lawn
Some play in grass
Some spread a blanket on the grass
And sleep in the sun –
What a waste of grass.
When I see grass, I touch it
I stroke it, tickle it, sniff it, blow it gently
Then I grab it, clutch it with my full fist
And pull it hard until she cries
Then slowly I part it
And slide my snakes into
The deep dark pool of thirst
Lurking beneath your moist grass
Like a longing craving for primeval release
Grass makes me high, so high
So fucking high…
When I see the grass
I shall pass over you
And plant my seed.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Everybody cannot be rich and everybody cannot be the boss, and yet everybody can be happy. Everybody cannot be the acclaimed best in their chosen fields of activity, yet everybody can be happy and can know that sense of fulfilment that only joy can bring.
So the question is: What is it, deeper than wealth, health, status, acclaim, power, that can make a human being happy and, through the bequething of joy, give them fulfilment? How does one approach life so as to attain to the highest prize – joy and fulfilment – irrespective of the outcome of one’s most ardent striving and efforts?
Where does ‘Pride’ factor into all this? Must one subdue and swallow one’s pride, or even become uncompetitive, in order to be happy with every outcome? Or can one channel one’s pride to a higher cause, a nobler idea, a deeper clarity?
At what point do all human beings become one, working together towards the same goal, despite all forms of competition? Can this be generic, i.e. applicable in all things? What happens then to the ‘Joy of Victory’?
As the world and the individuals hurtle on at blindening speed towards the pinnacles of Anger, I-am-better-than-you-ism and Hatred, driven each person and each group by the urge to be FIRST, it is important to consider if there is not another measure of success more fulfilling and, most importantly, more sustainable than this winner-takes-it-all competiton model of domination-desire.
Because through the continual establishment of a level playing field in the scientific education sector from generation to generation, a point in time will arrive in the future where too many people and peoples will have the knowledge and the ability to wreak wide-spread havoc on the earth. And then the I-First and I-Only mentality will unleash a terrible War within and upon Mankind, on all levels, that will bring our species to the brink of destruction, if not take us over it.
The meaures of Success and Fulfilment have to be redefined. Success, the chalice of deep inner personal joy, is the development of one’s inherent abilities and virtues to full bloom. Fulfilmemt then follows in the united pooling of abilities towards an ennoblement of humanity. Victory in this undertaking alone will bring us eternal Joy. In this endeavour one can and should be inspired by others, yes. Also through the healthy ethical competition between people an impetus to innovate and grow is intensified. But a proper context of a shared common human goal will alone make us grasp this: that victory of virtue is victory for all.
Because, as child-like and laughable such concepts as Altruism, Humility, Egalitarianism, Cooperation and Impartiality sound to the entitlement-poisoned modern mind, the truth is that only these concepts and their kind will spare mankind certain self-destruction in the future. And in self-destruction, none shall remain to savour any joy of victory.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Che Chidi Chukwumerije 