Half me half you I became because of you Neither me nor you I remain and so do you If I became fully me And you became fully you Would there be any similarity Between me and you? For the urge that binds us Is the urge than divides us We are similar in longing But dissimilar in belonging. Che Chidi Chukwumerije Poems from the inner river
difference
IN YOUR WORLD
In your world I’m weird I write poems everyday Money to me is not wealth Politics is an illusion they play Religions are superficial God is different from what they say Intimacy is often artificial Your way is not my way I don’t attach, I don’t detach I seem to neither go nor stay And yet somehow I still touch You much deeper than they. Che Chidi Chukwumerije
DIFFERENT
To be vulnerable is to be honest. To be honest is to be vulnerable. To be different is to be vulnerable to be honest. To be different is to be honest to be vulnerable. It is a strange place to be everytime No matter how many times you go there. Each time it feels different. It requires bravery everytime. Even when you‘re familiar with it Still you never get used to it. Because it is different. Everytime. Che Chidi Chukwumerije
VARIETY
I don’t make Afro-pop
Or naija-hiphop
Everything I do is
Alternative
Oil is not the only source
Of Revenue.
Nigeria, diversify
Tap your other talents
Build planes
Phones triggered by thought
Find a unique solution
To the problem of soil Erosion
Restless creativity
Is the mirror altar of the Higher God
Don’t run from yourself
Be a native of your Inner voice
Celebrate the different bird
Celebrate the alternative curious thought
Celebrate the bold Spirit of adventure
Make the celebration of diversity your art and culture
in perception, in Expression, in creation.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
STAY ON YOUR PATH
The words will still be the one
The one to articulate Silence
When we sing the praises of Silence
We do so with words
The strange bird will still be the one
The one to carry your story forward
Even though you ostracized him
He will preserve your story
When strangers rule the world.
– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.
Che Chidi Chukwumerije 