« TM 2010 » Mining for Gold

Wall story

Once there was a wall
that stood for world war
mass slaughter, genocide
and the cynical ideological
division of a continent

The wall fell
people rejoiced
the world watched the party
before switching channels

change always looks good
garnished with handouts & promises
but tarnishes quickly
dulled by the business of living

the magnifying glass of history
makes dictators more fearsome
heroes braver
and walls higher

pending anniversaries
the past is packaged
for present consumption
concrete chips in bottles
maps of vanished border zones
memoirs of neighbourhood spies
photos of faded graffiti
obsolete car models
retro matchboxes
recipes for scarcity —
all the stuff that feeds archives
commemorative displays
& museum shops

nostalgia repeats itself
until remembrance
turns to depression
still, there's no going back

the hole the wall left
has grown to a global chasm
with millions teetering
on the edge of existence
freedom fenced in
threats on all fronts
and devalued promises
sold as rescue packages
with the call to build new walls

Each of us has a wall story
a tale buried in the debris
of a time that keeps returning

© Karen Margolis
Berlin, 31 March 2009

Diese Sendung wird auch of Resonance104.4fm in London gesendet.
http://www.clubtransmediale.de