Help comes in its own time And in its own way Often it prefers an irregular rhyme Your tomorrow is its today You hear the echo and miss the chime How loudly did you pray? Treasure the sour bitterness of lime It is sweetness in delay. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
Of Hope, Light, Faith
HELP COMES
Things that long seemed impossible Manifest suddenly just before the window Of opportunity closes. Many a miracle Is undramatic, almost mundane, a narrow Dirt track fit for walking or at best a bicycle running beside a highway leading to hollow Shallow goals for the spiritually superficial And there right next to it, quiet and mellow This simple path opens up with no noticeable Features except this: it is your heart’s echo Returning long after you sent an inaudible Piercing cry for help. Swing chariot, swing low, Swooping down out of the blue Inconceivable And carrying me home to a better tomorrow. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
THAT ONE
You can come as close to me as you want You still cannot get in. You can go as deep into me as you want But still deep within My heart there is a door And if you’re not the one it’s meant for You can’t get in. You can go as far away from me as possible You still remain inside me I can push you as far away from me as possible But still deep inside me There is one tender space And you alone live inside this place That is the home in me. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
JEWELS AND THORNS
Somewhere it‘s day Somewhere it’s night Some hearts are sad Some with joy bright But even as the world Continues to spin The happy turn sour The sad grow a grin Sometimes you’re glad Sometimes you’re down Jewels and thorns Adorn the human crown What makes us human? The ability to weep And then laugh again For our heart is deep. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
DRAW YOUR SECOND BREATH
When I first came to Germany, I died, slowly and gradually. And - this is the worst part - I died alone, inside my heart. Some might say it is a death Akin to the planted seed That dissolves inside the earth En route to being freed; Freed from the past and the old - The path to growth into the new. But death is empty, dark, cold. And lonely. I never knew. There is a path that leads back to life; Beware - it is more painful than death And it too with loneliness is rife From which will emerge your second breath. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
YOU MUST BE PATIENT
There will be hope But the heart must cope First with a season Of conflict sans reason This moon is long faced And tied to a dead sea Rolling scrolls misplaced By startled history. You must be patient Time is clairaudient It hears your heart beating And your footfalls repeating The dance to victory. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
AGE OF DAMAGE
This is a war that has been waiting to happen They don’t love each other and never did They are not forgiving each other deeds overlapping Generations whose hatred they never hid They send missiles to greet each other The way you and I send words to one another When we’re angry and pain does not bother To differentiate between strangers and brothers It is the age of damage The stage of rage and carnage Angry birds in an iron cage Trapped in rampage. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
FRIENDSHIP IS FOR THE PATIENT
Step with each other Step without each other, but step Step ahead of each other Step behind each other, but step Step beside each other, step around each other Step over each other, step under each other But never ever step on one another. Feel our steps inside of each other. Step inspite of each other, but step Step to one another, Step away from one another, but… Step always for one another. Feel ourselves stepping inside of us. Friendship is for the patient. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
THE DEEP DEEP MOMENTS
The Deep Deep Moments – Che Chidi
Which is worse, to lose your job
Or to lose your integrity?
Well one day you might have
To make that choice…
Now which would you choose,
To be employed or to be yourself?
If one day you just had
To make that choice
‘Cause the deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
The deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
Nobody can advice you,
It is your own path
It is your own destiny
And one day you’re gonna have to make that choice…
Nobody should stand before such a choice
Yet everybody will face it
Some day, somewhere,
Somehow…
The deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
The deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
(whistle / hum / sax)
May be your job, may be your blood
Your best friend, your husband or your wife
One day something important will stand between you
And the values in your life
The deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
I say, the deep deep moments in human life
Will come upon you every once in a while
They will come upon you, they will come upon you
They will come upon you every once in a while.
I say they will come upon you, they will come upon you
They will come upon you every once in a while.
Music / Words / Video: Che Chidi Chukwumerije
GENTLY TREAD
Just because I‘m alive doesn‘t mean I‘m not dead
Just because I‘m talking doesn’t mean anything has been said
Just because I‘m lost doesn’t mean I‘m not being led
You might still be hungry, even after you‘ve been fed,
when you’ve been fed stones instead of bread
Those who heal wounds today, have also once bled.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Che Chidi Chukwumerije 