What you can’t do, say. What you can’t say, write. What you can’t write, say. What you can’t say, do. What you can’t do, make. Or make happen. Or just say. What you can’t say, write. What you can’t write,… JUST FIND A WAY. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
determination
BATTLE FATIGUES
I carry tiredness around with me Like a pouch, like a backpack, From which I draw humility And simplicity As compensation for the strength I lack. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
DO IT QUICKLY
That feeling that you‘ve gone down a path before and seen the outcome… And now you‘re watching others go down that same path.
And you know that no amount of warning or explanation will make them stop going that way. The only thing that can help is the recognition that comes at the end, when everything is over and it‘s too late to change anything. But then, just the bequeathing of this recognition is also what is needed too.
So, instead of preaching to them to not go that path, you start to wish them the opposite: that they go it QUICKLY, and get to the end quickly, so that they can come to the recognition sooner than later.
Just like Jesus Christ said to Judas: „That which you are about to do – do it quickly!“
Sometimes, a Fall is the fastest way to Rise Up!
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
IT IS WELL
When blood like a river
Attendeth my soul
When mirrors
Turn backwards and cold
Whatever my lot
Let the past work away
It is well, it is well
With my goal.
Out of hell, burning bell
Wring my soul, ring my soul
Though we fell, now ’tis well
With our goal.
– CHE CHIDI CHUKWUMERIJE.
* inspired by Spafford’s 19th century eponymous hymn.
HE WAS A WEIGHTLIFTER
A monster of a man
World on his shoulders
Yet fragile is his heart
Go easy on him
He will lift world records
With muscle-rippling ease
But a heavy heart, a broken heart
Will weigh him down
His ego is no bigger than yours
And when he cuddles his little baby
His arms are just as gentle
Trembling hands, subtle fingers
He was a weightlifter
Now he’s down, leaden of heart –
Who will be the one to
Stroke his head and gently lift him up?
He is light as a feather if you ease his pain
Easy like a Sunday morning
Will melt in your hands like butter
Fly with you to the midnight moon, effortlessly.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
SHE WAS A WEIGHTLIFTER
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.
AFTER PAIN
And after pain comes joy
If you let the pain have its way
And yet you conquered it
And after pain comes love
If the pain washes you truly clean
And yet you conquered it
And after pain comes life
If you walked hand in hand with pain
And conquered it
Your pain is not stronger than you
You are stronger than it
That is why it tries so hard to hurt you
A little
Because it will not last long
Wait a little longer, baby
Just a little –
Pain is our bridge.
Do you see the morningland
Waving in the distance?
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
UNYIELDING
Words never stopped anyone
Whose heart was a gun
He’s just out to kill someone
Night never scared anyone
Whose heart was a sun
He’s just out to bring a new dawn.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
THAI BOXING
Pain will take
The pain away
Pain is medicine
When I’m in pain
Punishing shins
Slowing me down
Punish me, shins
The way is shorter
When the hurt is hurter
Pain is pain’s
Brutal painkiller.
– CHE CHIDI CHUKWUMERIJE.
Che Chidi Chukwumerije 