imperfection

LAST LAST

~ Che ~ Leave a comment

Don’t try to make it straight and neat
Just simply try to make it complete
Do it all, everything, big and small,
Pride, they say, goes before a fall
So don’t freeze because you’re imperfect
For that’s just pride – so, check it.
Speak your mind even if with a shaky voice
If you can’t be quiet, make noise
If you don’t know who your true love is
Love them all who pull your heart’s strings
Change your path if need be
As often as you need in order to see
Follow your heart’s desires fully and truly
Even if you don’t know how to do it
Last last just do it anyhow any which way
Nwanne, live your life like say na play
Because, my G, nothing serious for dis world
Apart from di peace of your soul.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

DON’T WAIT FOR PERFECTION

~ Che ~ Leave a comment 
Don’t wait for perfection
Before you set off
Imperfection is what you need
To make you tough!
The world is wild and windy
The way is very rough
For the one who seeks fulfilment
This is enough.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

PERFECTION IS FOR THE COWARDLY

~ Che ~ Leave a comment 
Perfection is for the cowardly
Perfection is for the vain
Perfection is for the insecure
Afraid of the rugged terrain

Perfection is for the talentless
Unable to handle the unknown
Perfection is for the clueless
For the lazy follower, the drone

Give me imperfection at dawn
The origin of the day and the way
Give me imperfection at dusk
The source of tomorrow’s dream.

Che Chidi Chukwumerije
Poems from the inner river

BEING GENUINE

~ Che ~ 3 Comments

A foolish student
Will one day become a wise teacher
An unyielding sinner
Will one day become a moving preacher

The gap that yawns in you today
Will be filled by the pain of growth
Perfection and Imperfection may look like opposites
But when they arise in you, embrace them both

Because you don’t know which is which
Who is really poor and who is really rich.

– che chidi chukwumerije.

HAPPINESS, HONESTY AND IMPERFECTION

~ Che ~ 3 Comments

They said, you’re silent, and when you speak, you don’t speak of the things we know you know, the things you once spoke about. You don’t preach, you don’t teach, you don’t educate, elucidate or inform.

I said I have seen it all and it’s all an illusion. Never follow high-sounding words; they always hide a lie somewhere. All I want is just to be happy.

And I said, keep searching and searching until you find the hypocrite within you; and when you have looked each other in the eye, you will learn to recognize him or her also in the people, the words and the works around you. It’s very easy to be deep and profound. It’s much more difficult to be honestly imperfect.

If you want to be happy, you can’t skip the first step. It is also the last step: honest imperfection. Leave the wise words to the teachers. You, just be happy. That’s the only thing left that I still honestly care about. The rest is just a waste of precious time at best, deception of self and others at worst.

A funny thing happened: this morning I heard a saxophone playing and it gave me more than all the wise moving words in this world ever could or did. It sang the melody of all my sins, all my hopes, all my regrets, all my joys, all the humanity within me; and in the end I knew, it is true: the inner voice is the real you.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.