Dear Cri-Cri (Whilst We Are Free) (Words Anne Frank 1942 And Ian Inkster 2017, Music Ian Inkster 2017) Poem by Dr Ian Inkster

Here is the recently discovered poem written by Anne Frank signed and dated Amsterdam, March 28,1942 sold at auction for 140,000 euros ($148,000) and much-publicised. It is just a fragment from a young girl really, a workaday thought in German, of course, thus not rhyming in English. I leave the verse as written exactly, but I add the 6 line bridge beginning 'Whilst we are Free', only really in order to gain cadence, rhyme and some length. It is not meant as a profound addition or alteration. As the auction house said 'it is a typically edifying poem of the sort that was often written in 'friendship books, ' exhorting the owner to do her best and be diligent at work.' Of course the appeal now is that this was written during the exceptionally hard year 1942, when the war seemed to be turning in favour of Nazi victory, and when young Anne was still relatively free. Less than 4 months after this the Germans began to search for and capture the Jewish people in Holland, and Anne began her famous diary of her hiding. When she entered the 'secret annex' she was only 13 years of age.

Ian Inkster 2017.