My son as well, as well as almost everyone else, picked up on the amazement and relief when on November 9, 1989 the wall separating East and West Berlin was deemed redundant. The removal of the oppressive symbol of the Cold War was finally occuring!

:   BERLIN (The Divided Self)

“The wall! The wall is coming down!”

O glad night, that you could see this day

O bright heart, that you could speak these words

The wall;  the knife that separates

Badge of the divided self…

O hated wall you cannot speak

But if you could…

You would say “No!”

with cold guarded breath

“The wall! The wall is coming down!”

I curse the hesitant that hold us back

And I swear on my grave that I will die

a free man

Behold the soldier…

How he stands with disbelief

No, he cannot believe his eyes

But the wall crumbles nonetheless