traveller

THE WATER DANCER

~ Che ~ Leave a comment

As I was travelling from one place to another, once upon another time, I saw a young man with a friendly smile that occupied his lips and eyes, and – what do you know? – each time he spoke, he danced…

As he spoke, he danced to his own words. And as I spoke to him, how strange, he danced to my words too.

We had a deep and searching conversation, exchanging hearts. And by the time we parted, he was the traveller – although he still danced – and I was the dancer – although I still travelled – for we had changed, and exchanged, hearts.

I taught him how to travel, he taught me how to dance. If you will travel, then you must become like water. And this dance which he taught me, so strange, but it seems to me also to be…

The water dance.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

THE SONG OF HEARTS

~ Che ~ 3 Comments

image by Unsplash

A woman there was
Who by music was made –
Music conceived her
And made her
And set her free

And lost she wandered
Uncomprehended and lonely and
Confused for many a day
Until upon a morning, dawn tore
Out of her heart a haunting melody
And she learned that she could sing

Then did she, joyous of heart, compose
And sing and release to the world
Like a bird-being set free
The very song that fashioned her
And daughter became mother
Nay, traveller became bridge

I am a song
You are a song
We are all heaven’s song.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

TRAVELLER BEWARE

~ Che ~ 2 Comments

Wary of thirst
Wary of wandering
Weary, I wet my cup
In a wellspring I met
By the wayside

And when I put my lip
To its wet lip, the cup shivered
For bitter was the bile
That rose up from the well
And choked its heart

Traveller, it sang, in a voice
That wavered in the distance
Guard your thirst –
For not every bird that sings
Sings of dawn.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.

CHANGING WAYS

~ Che ~ Leave a comment

And this a wanderer said to me
The mountains will awaken mountains in you
And the rivers will make a more thoughtful
Traveller of you.

The seasons will change you as frequently
As they change – and your new selves
Will not remember the person
You used to be.

And when you come back home again,
Sadness, quietness and joy will overcome you
And everything you left on the road
Will be as a dream.

– Che Chidi Chukwumerije.