Knocks of politenessKnocks of invitationsKnocks of deliveriesKnocks of deliveranceKnocks that should never have beenAnd knocks that never will beIntrusion of privacy that sees the nakedness of body and soulPrivacy that never was and is now feared will never be.

Seven stories highNoises loud and shadows highIn the darkness sounds have no bodyBut during the day I have nobodyIn darkness lights shine bright with hope and warmthLights that promise hope of peace and harmonyBy day the wrath of structure and discipline rulesExpectations of adult sense and logic burn as hot as the mid-day’s sunIn darkness I can vanish from the scolding handAs I take comfort in the light that never shines.

I was born and raised in Berlin, Germany, meaning my first language is German. I grew up eating everything potato for dinner and my choice of beverage was cooled hibiscus tea. Although I grew up in a fairly German household, Germany is known to be home to a great number of European immigrants, mostly from the eastern countries. My homeroom in elementary, middle and high school was at least 50% non-German, so my friends belonged to a variety of different religions and backgrounds and spoke languages that were not German as their first tongue. I was used to this mix of cultures, even though as a child of German ancestry…