
Florence Nightingale
Sang her song…
But Mary Seacole
Could not come along…
British people chose their heroes
The rest of us are left as zeros…
Adrian Chan-Wyles – Sutton – 26.7.2020
My above poem is a condemnation of the racism of Florence Nightingale (who refused to allow Mary Seacole to be one of her nurses because she was ‘Black’), and a celebration of the bravery of Mary Seacole who treated wounded British soldiers at the frontline of the Crimean War, and not ten miles away (in the safety of the rear) as Florence Nightingale did!
#florencenightingale #marysescole #racism #crineanwar #eurocentricism