It was the sign that stopped us

And then we saw the stone

Dedicated to an escapee

Who had died there alone.

We  read the inscription

All the time being aware

Guards in the tower watched

 Every move we made there

Halte Hier Grenze!

(Stop this is the Border)

The sign displayed 

To avoid any possible disorder.

Behind the wire were the mines

Then the strip, totally bare of green,

Raked and swept twice a day

So new foot prints can be seen.

In full view of all

The observation towers

Directly in line with the stone

And commemoration flowers.

He is standing there watching us

Bins lens reflecting glare of the sun,

Slung over his shoulder 

His loaded automatic gun.

Is he the one who shot the man to

Stop the attempted freedom bid;

If it wasn’t him for certain

One of his colleagues did.

Halte Hier Grenze

What was it all about 

Not to stop people going in 

But to stop them getting out.

Such a state of desparation 

That so many did their best,

And so many failed and died

Just to live in the West.

We took the mandatory photo

And then we didn’t linger,

Just turned our backs and walked 

After giving him the finger.