Berlin

Bianca McCarty

You know of this wall. 

Everyone does. 

Your mother was here when it came down 

When the world came down with it. 

 

You know of this wall. 

He does. 

He crossed it years ago 

When it split a life in half. 

 

You know of this wall. 

The clown-faced woodpecker does. 

It flew over once 

Over brambles of barbed wire. 

 

You know of this wall. 

Julita does. 

She held it on her shoulders 

Sweating Salvadoran salt. 

 

You know of this wall. 

Your people do. 

They lived alongside its gratified face 

As you picked blackberries by the river. 

 

You are a pumpkin seed. 

You are transplanted a million miles away 

Cradled in the palm of a hand 

Touch sweet as a blackberry.