A poem to celebrate Betty Campbell and the monument in her honour was commissioned by Monumental Welsh Women to mark the unveiling on September 29th 2021. 

Taylor Edmonds, The Future Generations Commissioner Wales’ Poet in Residence was chosen to write the poem and perform it at the unveiling ceremony. 

When I Speak of Bravery

“If you’re determined to do something, you will do it. And I think my life has been full of determinations.” – Betty Campbell

 For Betty Campbell

Born in Tiger Bay, never left,

I hear she was a force to be reckoned with. 

Called herself a trailblazer, path curator,

constructed schoolbooks from scraps

to tell the full version of history.

Showed her children something true:

They’d always been here, rooted in the soil

through wars and riots, carnivals and industry.

That they stood powerful, worthy 

of greatness, never out on their own

with Mrs Campbell fighting their corner.

When Betty was told she couldn’t, her dreams

out of reach for a Black girl from Butetown

who should never want too much, 

never take space, never shake things up —

she only wanted harder. 

A life of determinations, woman of firsts,

all the while people waited to watch her fail.

So she learnt to nod her head,

say the right things, butter them up 

to beat them at their own game.

Listen close — I hear the streets 

still call her name after dark,

her school stands, flourishing, 

in testament to her story.

And If you kick away the patches 

of loose gravel from pavements, 

you’ll find lockets of her memories.

A mother, teacher, mentor, 

wife, activist, advocator,

I’ll tell my future daughters about Betty

when I speak of bravery. 

Her legacy goes on, immortalised

in clay and stone. Let them come

from far and wide, to see

how just one woman can touch

so many lives. 

Taylor Edmonds,  2021