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I Wonder What Anne Frank Would Say

Anne* Frank's earthly life, coldly cut short, yet, in our hearts and minds, she always lives, as, it seems, her spirit no one could thwart, nor the humanity her message gives. Sorry if I misrepresent the words that emerged from her brave and precious pen. I note it was not her who spoke of herds, and said, with conviction, "never again". Yet, I know it was this young girl who said, the grownup world, her lesson, to impart, speaking to our shared conscience as we read, when she opined, "people are good at heart." I wonder what this special girl would say to young Palestinian girls today. * Anne, as I understand, is pronounced with two syllables.

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Gershon Wolf

Date: 5/22/2025 7:46:00 PM

O, what an interesting question, David! If Anne were a teen-ager today, I think she would say that the Palestinians are 'good people.' After all, she said that about the Nazis, who murdered so many millions more than the Palestinians ever can hope to. And yes, they hope to... At any rate, great write. ~ Gershon

David Crandall
Date: 5/22/2025 9:47:00 PM

It may sound spurious, but I feel that Anne sent a message to the world through her diary (me included), and that it's the message that I felt I received that motivated this poem. Unfortunately, the world has a lot of problems, or anyway, what I see as problems, and lifting a finger to write a poem about them accomplishes next to nothing.

David Crandall
Date: 5/22/2025 9:40:00 PM

Thanks, Gershon. I just started the book by Hannah-Pick-Goslar, "My Friend Anne Frank" and it has reminded me of reading The Diary of a Young Girl. I agree there are differences in scale (and other things), between the two "situations", and I don't know the minds of each Palestinian, but I think the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza are an avoidable tragedy.