DDR

old grey Austin stands
at the gate of  Checkpoint Charlie
 a hare's breath..
to being shot at dawn..
 I was three..and it seemed
a good idea to throw my ragged doll
out the window at the Commies..
in 61, it made no sense..
Already dead bodies on parade,
spilt carmine ink blots
on unforgiving ashpelt 
 hammer sickle blood 
it's born of consiquence.
~  ~  ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~
Karl-Heinz  said..be careful
for no doubt you will be watched,
and it was true..
he took my sister on a trip
they met a man at a railway station
for along time they talked..
My uncle had a good job
 traveling abroad in his work,
 a man tried to take my sister
..but they fought..
we didn't speak of it again..
in public houses were we went
there were whispers and 
gestures..
you cant remain annonymous
amdist the land of Trabant
in a grey Austin..

At my grandmothers farm
the children came and stared
through the window...curious
my mum took a ball
and played outside with us
we are all universally the same
we all  want to live our life
and not have this
government control shite

my lovely German Grandmother
I'm proud of you, hardworking
loving and gentle lady..
without her eldest son since
the war, he was taken at 16
so don't bleat to me..
She had another son, a brother
that my dad saw him age 16,
and not again till they pulled
down the wall..
he saw his little brother just three times..
We went to School in Gustrow.
we took our plates and forks
and had breakfast there,
my brother didn't want to come home
he wanted to stay.. in this place
But my dad knew we would be better off
living the other side of freedom
and he learnt that,
from his previous escape..