HERZ STEHT KOPF

Herz steht Kopf
Kopf steht Herz
Abwärts aufwärts
Einwärts auswärts
Wer ist da? Klopf Klopf
Ich weiß oft nicht
Wer da in mir ist
Bewusst seiner Pflicht
und deren innerer Frist.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Im Jahrzehnt der deutschen Dichtung

THE VAST DISTANCE

The deepest form of intimacy
is the sharing of truth.
Sex is not the highest form of intimacy -
Honesty is. No sleuth
can penetrate a false heart of lies.
No compass can navigate
the vast distance opened up by lies
that keeps hearts separate.

This distance cannot be closed by vicinity -
This distance can only be closed by veracity.


Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

NOCH DA

Nie sind die Menschen noch da,
wo sie einst waren, wenn Du wiederkehrst -
Komme keinem Menschen zu nah,
sonst fühlst Du Dich als ob Du nie da wärst.

Ich will nicht mehr traurig sein
aber glücklich sein macht mich traurig
und traurig sein macht mich glücklich
und unter Menschen fühle ich mich allein.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Im Jahrzehnt der deutschen Dichtung

THROUGH HONESTY

Don’t be ashamed
Pour it all out
The heart is tamed
and freed from doubt
by the bravery of honesty.

Let those that hurt you
continue to mock you
It still cannot stop you
from healing through honesty
and growing through adversity.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

MAL HELL

Du warst mal hell
leuchtend wie ein Stern
Was ist passiert?
Jetzt bist Du kalt und fern
und dunkel und verlogen
und verheimlichst gern
Deine Gedanken.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Im Jahrzehnt der deutschen Dichtung

PARTS OF STORIES

The person you think is in your story is also in someone else’s story. Never think a person is exclusively yours, even if they tell you so. It only depends on the form and context, on the depth and scope, and on the intensity and exact nature, of their role in your story and their roles in other people’s stories as well. Just like you are in many people’s stories, so is even the person closest to you maybe even closer still to someone else in that other person’s story. People are interconnected in ways nobody can fathom.

And you can only see your story, but lack complete access into the world of the other person’s story. You only know the character a person plays in your story, but you would be surprised if you ever saw the character that same person plays in another person’s story. Never will you know all the parts of a story, only some – if you are lucky, maybe the relevant ones. Never will you know all the people in a person’s story. And never ever will you know all the stories in which a person features – not even the person closest and dearest to you. Just like only God knows all the stories that you too are a part of.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Undulating Plains

MAY YOU

May you grow
Like the flowers you love so much

May you sow
Seeds of fruits that nourish as such

May you glow
Under the purity of a true lover’s touch

May you know
Honesty to which you can safely clutch.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

WIEDER DA

In letzter Zeit
höre ich die Stimmen wieder
nah und weit
die Stimmen und die Lieder
der Mitmenschen und der Menschheit
denn ich bin wieder da
nach Jahrzehnten der Abwesenheit
in denen ich nur Dunkelheit sah.

Und jetzt höre ich die Stimmen wieder
und meine auch -
und spüre meine Beine gehen wieder
und Lachen in meinem Bauch.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Im Jahrzehnt der deutschen Dichtung

WOUNDED TERRAIN

I‘m riding on the train
And riding through my pain
When I’m done if I’m still sane
I won’t come this way again.

The experience is a strain
On my heart and on my brain
Riding through wounded terrain
Where my trust was slain.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

DISILLUSIONMENT AND DISENCHANTMENT

Sometimes when you’re inner eyes open and you gradually begin to see and recognise a person for who and what they really are, you experience such a shocking, deep and grave Disappointment, that you almost wish you could close your inner eyes again, in order to retain the former beautiful picture of this person that you used to have. But it is all in vain. Your heart can never ever forget again what it has seen and what it now knows and sees. Truth is the most beautiful, but also the ugliest, thing you will ever encounter. But, the good thing is, it will set you free.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Undulating Plains