The Red Cross (Poem by Kennedy)

What it is

This is a poem of six verses titled The Red Cross, published in 1919 and signed by an author named Kennedy. It is addressed to Clara Barton and invokes Florence Nightingale as a related figure. The poem praises the red cross symbol as a sign of mercy in war, and describes Red Cross workers as holding the gates between life and death. It is a tribute written after Barton's death, not an account written during her work.

Why it matters

The poem shows how Barton was remembered in the years after her death in 1912. It pairs her with Florence Nightingale, the British nurse, and presents both women as the founders of the idea of mercy in war. The Red Cross symbol it praises came to stand for humanitarian relief in many countries, which the poem presents as a pledge for the world.

Look closer

• Which images in the poem make war seem terrible, and which images make the Red Cross seem hopeful?
• Why might a poet in 1919 have written a tribute to Barton, and what did the poet want readers to feel?
• What does the poem leave out about Barton's own methods and about the people she helped?