Local artist, writer pay tribute to Amy Joyner-Francis through painting, poem

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Local author and writer Autumn Johns was among those deeply saddened by the death of Howard High School student Amy Joyner-Francis, and she wrote a poem called “My Sister of Howard High School.”

Johns is also currently accepting student auditions for her play “Momma Who Can We Trust,” based on trauma plaguing the community, police profiling, drugs and urban distress. Youth express fear but also desire to see change in the community.

“My Sister of Howard High School.” 

By Autumn Johns

Our city is crying from so much violence and pain. Will all our dreams and vision be in vain?

Many of us are tired just sick and tired of the purple rain, people of all diversities are bearing this grief young and old

Female and male even babies of kindergarten age just want relief from the violent rage

So as I walk through the halls of our favorite school, I will forever hear the echoes of your voice

You made us believe: our hearts, our school is forever stained as we cry out to our God to help us ease our pain

Has anyone seen my Sister, my sister of Howard High School

I need to tell her how much we loved her and how she did make a difference

I need to tell her thanks for helping me with those difficult homework assignments I could not understand

I want to thank her for inspiring us to be better students and how happy we were after receiving that passing grade

You, always complemented us in a sisterly way

I want to tell her she made many of us glad to come to school even though some of us had some hardships at home those school hours were bountiful

Amy your energy was like a ripple in a pond always expanding with kindness and joy

Has anyone seen my Sister, my sister of Howard High School

I need to tell her how we are gonna miss that crazy fun we had planning fun weekends of shopping at the mall or just having girl fun and crazy laughter on the phone, and going to happy cold Wildcat games

I cry because our prom plans are a void. I ring your cell phone just to hear your voice but we cry and stump our feet because this is not supposed to be this painful brutality

This violence is suffocating the community air

My Sister of Howard High School, my sister of sports, my sister of kindness, my sister of love

Your cries for help are haunting us because we didn’t hear you, we didn’t hear you, we didn’t hear you

My Sister of Howard High School