by Noel Ihebuzor and Susan Daniels
my chi is a muse, impish
invisible fellow lurking
behind my ears and my tongue
whispering when I am not ready
sauntering away when I am
mine whispers words in woven gold flights
spiraling from blood to my ears
as my eyes open; dream-writing, I call it
and the words melt in daylight like mist
before I have reached for my pen
quicksilver, erratic
unpredictable, nagging like a stubborn dream
on those days when fresh minty words stream
down my running fingers
and then only to turn off the faucet
when incipient joy in showering in the deluge
of singing is huge
they gift us in fragments, suggestions.
if they gave us the keyed music
of the harp strung underneath particles
always vibrating, could our ears
hold the whole song?
then those days when in mischief
it fills me with words in riot
words that rage at thought
thoughts that resist rhythm
lines that refuse order, grating
words, thoughts in drunken stagger
limping clubfoot, clumsy clod
those words that sound like beginning poetry
that go nowhere, or spiral into nonsense:
pretending I am a tree/transmission shock
jamming the frequency/my head
is a crowded place to peek into. hum the words
my personal goddess, and I will follow
blindly, my pen scribbling your joke
and this poet the butt of it
the seasons come and go
leaves sprout, bloom and drop
but my chi remains unchanging
driving, firing, inspiring and
sometimes tiring and
despairing me
ridden and driven by laughing children
impossible to catch, and should we try?
no, better to sound the songs
of invisible fingers strumming heartstrings
like mandolins that sometimes fall flat
for their amusement
my chi and I are Siamese twins
linked at the junction of mind, soul and heart
chasing our wants amidst chi’s obdurate wonts
yes, linked and bound, but not by a short thread
she tugs me awake, jumping rope
with the cord that feeds us both, but I cannot
wake her, cannot call her to me–no, I am her dog
leashed by that link,
sometimes running at the snap of a finger
begging for strokes and scraps
chi, your hands will not choke my throat when I proclaim
your wandering and meandering ways
twins are equals, social and spiritual
I resist bullies, and I call you that not
but can the palm no matter how large blot out the rays of the moon
my truths about you stand erect, an iroko for all to see
and despite your sobering entreaties,
these truths I cannot not hide nor suppress
I have no proverbs to suggest urgency
better than these; but yes, let us call out
trickery for what it is, and play each other
without binding, in a dance
instead of a chase, so we both smile in victory;
not a rout but a tie, in a game well-played by both
but though I rage, I fear that in the end
you and I shall meet at the junction of road
where compromise and conciliation habit
productive, just like I wish for us
for you need me and I need you
and the world would be poorer if our voices died
or we choked each other in moments
of well deserved rage and resentment
***This was FUN! Noel and I wrote this with one pass-off each. The chi here represents a personal god, in this case, two personal gods that alternately pester their poet-hosts and then gift them with beautiful poetry/songs. You can read that as a muse, if you would rather. As in all our duets, I am italicized, Noel is bolded.
Susan Daniels Poetry 
I can almost see you both reciting or reading this to an audience. Well done!!!
Thanks, Boomie! Anyone that can explain to me how to pass a recording around electronically to add to that is WordPress friendly, and I am game to try reading this! Noel–you up for that?
Great flow to this duet, not a blend, but complementary voices harmonizing together.
thanks very much, David!
Our chis were at their best today! How else does one explain that we could pull this off in less than 90 mins from start to finish? For this wonderful facilitation, my chi has qualified for a cup of foaming fresh palm wine (a Canadian friend who tasted it aptly decribed fresh palm wine as the nectar of the gods) plus a treat of yam roast laced with red palm oil!
ohhh–that sounds like a nice treat (it does mean you have to eat/drink it for him, right?)
Mine is insisting she deserves at least a square or two the German dark chocolate loaded with hazelnuts I stashed in the freezer 😉
You got it. Me and my chi are one, so I can consume on His kind behalf! 🙂
Yay! The more I hear of these chi, the more I like them…
90 Minutes???? WOW you guys really DO flow so easily and wonderfully! I love reading your duets
Oh, thanks so very much–Noel is a great duet partner, and yes, they are so much fun to write I am glad you enjoy reading them too!
Susan is the engine!
Noel–we both do well together 🙂
Take a bow, or nod at least….
and what are you the key that starts said “engine”
(smile)
Thank you!!!! Someone else takes up my side….Takes two to write these!
My mouth is watering, Noel.
I love this conversation that you have with each other…your energies so aligned and so different, yet in perfect rhythm.
Thanks, Mimi–writing with Noel is a treat–even without the chocolate and yam 😉
And it’s lower in calories!!
quite true!
everything is better with Chocolate.. but man you guys really dance well together
thanks–and today I got page-dancing and chocolate 🙂
that’s two of my three favorite things!
really nice and did I see a reference to sting theory? particles vibrating
Yes, just a brush by it 😉
A powerful perfect unison; your words create a fine melody together. Your chis are fully awake and blessing you both.
Oh, thank you! They do like to sing together, that’s for sure!