On the edge of London
there she stood
A spot of black in a sea of white
On the edge of London
there he stood
Blending in a sea of cowards
Both ready to risk everything
“You can’t do it, just come back,” her friends pleaded
She shook her head, “Courage is the one thing I do not lack,”
“You won’t make it, you won’t come back,”
his friends murmured
He shook his head, “I need to pack,”
He pulled on his helmet – too scared to show his face
She pulled on her cap – too kind to hide her face
He hefted a gun
She held a bandage
Both ready to risk everything
He wore a shining medal that read: Bravery
She wore a red cross and a name that read: Mary
The National Black History Month Poetry Competition Winner, Children’s Category, was ‘Braver than A Soldier: A Nurse Ready to Save Lives’ by Ione Knight, focusing on Mary Seacole