Pictured left to right: Labrandon Lundy, senior scholar; Timquez Clifton, junior scholar; Jeremy Dillard, senior scholar; and Antonio Carruthers, junior scholar.

Among the myriad projects City University School of Liberal Arts teachers and students created for MCS Exhibition Day (Nov. 13) was “Transparent Onyx,” which features poetry from students taught by Christopher Burns.

Burns, who is in his first year at City University, teaches English, creative writing and multi-media concepts. “Transparent Onyx” includes selected poems from 20-plus students in his two creative writing classes.

Burns said the book is a product of “divine intervention” in that he had such a project in mind even before learning of the MCS Exhibition Day initiative. “It kind of fell in sync with the (Exhibition Day) project, he said.

Burns’ CB Publishing published the book of poetry, with the goal of making it part of a school fund-raiser – the planning for which still is in the works.

“Transparent Onyx” came together over 15 weeks. Burns, who worked on a similar project when he taught at The LeMoyne-Owen College, said the City University School product features college-level creative writing.

City University School of Liberal Arts, 1500 Dunn Ave., is a charter high school under the Memphis City School’s umbrella. It began by welcoming 140 ninth graders for the 2004-05 academic year, with the idea of growing by one grade level each year until there were 320 scholars in grades 9 through 12. Dr. Stanley Ellis is the principal.

Labrandon Lundy Why Why do I gotta be the Person that ends up In a foster home all alone With nobody to talk To over this phone? Why moms had to Die when I was seventeen Isn’t my life hard enough? Now, now you tell me why. Why am I stuck in this room With nothing but four walls Feeling like I’m in a cell? Tell me what I have done To get this punishment. Have I done something That bad? I just had to take my anger out cause I was feeling just that sad. Tell me why should I Forgive all those people That have let me down, Turned they’re back on me, Gave up on me. You ask me is this The end of me? No it’s the beginning.

Timquez Clifton Within They view me as something weird I question what they would utter if they knew me From deep within I hide feelings and deposit them Into the deep unconscious for you To think on Asunder thoughts I am precarious as to if they seek And for that fact I am uncertain If I ever get my words or feelings across

Jeremy Dillard As A Child My deepest fear was thinking of my death, Wondering how I would take my last breath, or What would happen if I couldn’t breathe Another Breath. Sometimes my heart skipped a beat, and my Lungs would collapse bringing me to my knees. Pain in my chest is all I felt as I tried to catch my Breath; like someone stabbing me in the chest With a dagger. But now as a man, the only thing that scares me Is thinking of how I’ll have to gasp for my last Breath.

Antonio Carruthers Did it all I was born in Memphis I walked on the bricks that made the Pyramids before there were any pyramids. I pissed in the moat that came to be the Mississippi River. The stars that cover the night sky count For my many accomplishments, I’m some’n serious So serious that when I frown, Memphis skies turn a darkish grey, and when I’m Happy the sun lights up the sky sending Brightness quickly throughout the city Like the plague. I’m some’n serious So serious that  the sun don’t shine until I Open my eyes in the morning. So serious that the moon follows me Everywhere I go to make sure I can see At night I’m some’n serious

Links:

Memphis City Schools Exhibition Day at Hanley Elementary

Handmade christmas cards