MICROSTORY OF ART

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Dedicated to Berlin

(Picture: Times)

Historical Contingency

(14.10.2023)

Historical Contingency

Three fragments of the Berlin Wall
I call my own
Of which one (with graffiti, colorful)
Is of impeccable provenance, since
It was me who took it down, in 1988.
Other fragments (two, presently
Decorating my room in which I am writing
Are of more dubious provenance and
Probably just tourist stuff.
But I got them as a gift.

What was Berlin like in 1988?
I do not really recall, some 100%
German history brew perhaps, which
Might make you sell your laugh.
A spacey, windy hippie oasis, perhaps,
With the oasis, however, barely to be seen.

Some tourist helplessness, perhaps,
From Charlottenburg to Checkpoint Charlie.
But probably I was into some very old-school
(As one would say today) drum machines rather,
as the 17year old that I was.

But it seems to me now that
There might have been one very particular reason of
Why I did take that piece of the Wall down, in 1988. And
What might have been that reason?
A trip to the East, with one
Particular mission, in fact
The mission to track down a very particular Soviet
Chess tutorial

Had resulted with me
Being virtually arrested at the border
Since a seemingly political flyer
Had been found in my bag.

And they had placed me into another
Room
For interrogation.

Yet they had decided, after a short while, to set me free,
After realizing that
I was just the innocent 17year old, that was
Into drum machines and stuff and not into
Infiltration or
Subversion.

But perhaps I did
Take revenge for that kind of
Shock.

And this might have resulted in me taking down
In return, some piece
Of the Berlin Wall (with graffiti, colorful) down, as early as in 1988, it is

Somewhere in the attic now, this piece,
But I do not precisely recall if
I really committed that act before or
After my arrest (so to speak).

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