YOU CANNOT

You cannot be a man - or a woman -
And go through the world
Without the world going through you

You cannot deal with people
Without people dealing with you

You cannot tackle your task
Without your task tackling you

You cannot handle issues
Without issues handling you

You cannot finish your mission
Without your mission finishing you.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

LAW OF THE L

Take your L
Take it well
No one can tell
Why you fell
Did your pride swell?
It rings a bell
It broke your shell
Take it well
I wish you well
Time will tell
And heal you well
Heaven and Hell
Understanding your L
Will break the spell
And make you well.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

*L stands for Loss.

THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IS RESISTANCE

No master gon’ willingly let a slave go
No oppressor gon’ willingly let the oppressed rise to his level
If you wan’ freedom, you gon’ take a blow!

The loss of property and means
The loss of power
The loss of status
Yea, the loss of status
Hurts like hell.

When you rise, it means that
Someone else is no longer higher
Than you and has to stomach that –
Remember that.

You gon’ pay a heavy price
Because everyone around you
Knows the value
Of self—elevation, knowledge and freedom

They will make you pay for it
If you’re really worth it.

The price of your freedom is their resistance.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.