Words to Tie to Bricks
Read Words to Tie to Bricks Online
Authors: Claire Hennesy
First published in 2013 by
CTYI Press
Centre for Talented Youth Ireland, Dublin City University, Dublin 9
All rights © 2013 Centre for Talented Youth Ireland
Paperback | | ISBN: 978 1 909483 385 |
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, filming, recording,
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other than that in which it is published without prior permission in writing from the publisher.
The right of each contributor to be identified as the author of his or her work has been asserted by him or her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
1988.
All characters and events featured in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are entirely fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or
dead, organisation or event, is purely coincidental. Any mistakes are the author’s own.
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I still remember how you take your coffee in the morning
Even Now, Even Here, Beautiful
A Gentleman’s Guide To Playing With Your Food
We Regret to Inform You, Madame
You Are Now, Always Have Been, and Forever Will Be an
Frosty Windshields, Glass & Cellar Doors
The Clichés Are Ready and Waiting
A Walk along the Brussels Road
Even This Much Chocolate Couldn’t Make Us Sweet
Heels against the Cobblestone An Interlude
W
ORKING AS THE DIRECTOR OF
an organisation that celebrates the potential of high-ability students can be a humbling experience when I realise that
there are teenagers, and quite often also younger children, who are in many ways smarter than I will ever be. The book that you are reading now further reinforces this opinion.
CTY Ireland is a place where young people who excel in different academic and creative areas get a chance to meet other students of similar ability and hopefully share some common ground. The
outcome of this programme regularly exceeds our highest expectations. The work produced is of the highest standard as students get a chance to work at their own pace and engage fully with subjects
that are of interest to them. Socially, friendships are made and these can often be lifelong connections.
It has been my privilege to work for this organisation for the past 20 years (yes, that is older than the eldest of the contributors to this book) and over 50,000 students have passed through
the doors of CTY Ireland in that period. One of the main goals of the organisation is to challenge academically talented students at a level appropriate to their ability rather than their age. This
book allows us to turn this potential into something real.
I’m delighted that any profits from this book will go to St Michael’s House that does such great work with people who have intellectual disabilities. With the headquarters across the
road from us here at Dublin City University it seems the perfect fit for this book.
Finally I would like to congratulate all the contributors to this book, our fantastic CTY Ireland students and in particular a great former student, the teacher Claire Hennessy. Claire, your
dedication to this project makes it worth at least a shortlist for the Booker prize.
Enjoy the book.
Colm O’Reilly
Director
CTY Ireland
To the unprepared reader
– We promise there are explanations. We’re just not including them, and you should probably be grateful.
To the prepared reader
– Please refer to the previous point. You cannot possibly be prepared.
To the parents
– Look at what you’ve released upon the world. Also, we don’t need counselling, in case you were wondering.
To the siblings
– I’m in a book. Take that. Also: All the mean bits are inspired by you. Congratulations.
To the friends
– I hope you remain so after you read that one piece. You know the one.
To the pets
– Good money was probably spent on this book. Stop eating it.
To the acquaintances
– This is probably more than you wanted to know.
To the teachers
– I told you I was special.
To the haters
– Don’t hate the poet, hate the poem.
To our sworn enemies, the philosophy students
– We have a book, you don’t exist. Who’s the winner here?
To the romantic partners
– We swear this is not about you. Unless you want it to be. In which case, it totally is. XOXO
To the ex-romantic partners
– This is all about you. Unless you want it to be, in which case it isn’t.
To the future romantic partners
– This isn’t as bad as it looks. By the way, if you find a poem tied to a brick and a broken window in your front
room, don’t be alarmed. It’s a sign of affection, we swear.
To our fellow pathetic writers-to-be
– Look how much you can do. Keep your chin up. We’re all terrible together. Also, group therapy could be
fun.
To the CTYI staff
– Thanks for taking a chance on us. We hope you’re not crying.
To the world
– Whoops. Our bad.
Lots of love, Anthology of Writing Class 2013
xoxox
L
IST OF
C
ONTRIBUTORS
Catherine Bowen
Amy Campbell
Sean Ceroni
Grace Collins
Samuel H. Doyle
Andrew Duffy
Caelen Feller
Conor Kelleher
Hannah-Rose Manning
Carol McGill
Orla McGovern
Anna Mulligan
Hannah O’Boyle
Emma Shevlin
Cahal Sweeney
Instructor:
Claire Hennessy
Teaching assistant:
Emily Collins
E
MMA
S
HEVLIN
I’m writing this to show you
I’m writing this to say
That what I feel inside me,
It just won’t go away.
I find it weighs me down,
It burns just like a fire.
The mass of my emotions,
The density of my desire.
I’ve found a way to let you know
How much
I love you,
dear.
Forget the window,
Treasure the brick,
That you find lying here.
H
ANNAH
O’B
OYLE
There are still crumbs on the desk
from that cake you bought me
when my favourite uncle died
and I was barely eating.
The carpet is still worn
from the time you tried
to teach me how to dance,
and I stepped on your toes.
The petals have fallen
from the flowers you gave
the last time you smiled at me.
I guess that means something.
