On March 14th, the Fort auditorium hosted a special gathering of many departments, including English, Art, Psychology, CTE, and, of course, Journalism. The reason for this gathering? To welcome back Christian Morant, a 2009 class graduate who brought not only remarkable guests, but also a variety of poetry, performance, and infectious energy.

When the stage was set and the lights were dimmed, Morant commanded students’ attention by opening the doors in the back of the auditorium and working his way to the stage while reciting his piece, “What I have Learned about Love?” While Morant’s poem is asking the question, “what is love?” the question is never answered. However, it does bring light to more questions, such as the one in lines 10-12, which state, “Does our unconditional connection to other human beings/Wish that we simultaneously share this experience of life together?”

After his first poem, Morant acknowledged the people who have supported him on his journey. These influential figures included Abby Duran, fellow spoken word artist and former music journalist of 12 years. Ms. Duran recited two openly emotional poems: “Divine Tea,” which she claimed was “an embrace to her loved ones,” and “Breaking Silence,” which she found challenging to perform, but the Fort family encouraged her to keep going with cheers and warm claps. Morant also introduced FDHS teacher Michelle Williams, who has continued to support him since his time as a student. He stated, when asked about Williams, that she was “a guiding light” for him. Morant also introduced his father, Jonathan Morant, who is an acclaimed musician and lyricist, most notably for the Backstreet Boys.

The audience was captivated by the speaker’s words and the raw emotion that poured out through their poetry. Morant’s word choices oozed with real, cutting emotions that caused the Fort Family to enter what can only be described as an otherworldly trance. But with a talent like Morant at the helm, they were in good hands.  

Students were encouraged by Morant to embrace their own creativity and pursue their passions fearlessly. Mr. Morant Sr. echoed these calls to create, and gave words of encouragement to the audience. “You guys can do anything you want,” he said. “I know you hear it only the time, it’s like, sure, you really can, you just gotta, you know, believe in what you’re doing and just go and get it.” It was a truly inspiring experience for everyone present.

To wrap up, Morant performed another piece from his collection Growth, whose cover art depicts a ragged plant growing out of a messy pile of dirt. After hearing Morant reflect on his path to stardom, he seemed to deeply identify with the self-produced cover. The final piece was called “She Keeps Me Company,” and refers to the feelings and fears that come with falling in love. Upon finishing the peace, he warmly thanked the audience for their participation and enthusiasm.

After the auditorium cleared, Morant, Duran, and Morant Sr. stuck around to be interviewed by the FDHS Journalism class, which is headed up by Mrs. Bronk-Lutz, who is another wonderful FDHS teacher. Morant once again reiterated to the student staff that there is no better feeling than being able to share your creativity with your alma mater and encouraged them to keep their Patriot Pride. We greatly look forward to seeing Mr. Morant’s future successes and wish him all the best.