Kellenberg Memorial's Literary Magazine
An important extracurricular part of the student life at Kellenberg Memorial is our literary magazine, Renaissance. Renaissance members meet weekly to write, read, and discuss literature and the arts. Our magazine, published in print annually each Spring and digitally throughout the year, contains the creative writings and artistic talents of students from grades six through twelve. The creativity in these poems, short stories, essays, and art is often learned about in the day-to-day work within our classrooms, but here they are expressed by our contributing student writers and artists. If you would like to see our webpage, please search kellenberg.org/phoenix on your browser and find us on the menu options.
Mourning Dove by Danielle Kercy ’26
Its cheeks are round with youth, and
its eyes are wide with innocence,
Bringing me to recall my own.
Its melancholic voice,
gently calling for what’s lost,
begging for the return of a morning that has passed,
a morning we cannot get back,
merely a memory.
Miles by Elizabeth Califano, ‘28
You’re close to me
because my heart holds you there
holds a house for you
with a freshly made bed and polished countertops
neatly folded clothes in organized closets
perfectly fluffed pillows and a vacuumed carpet
all for you
even though you’re miles away
but when you want to open the door
to the house
the keys are under the mat
slightly tarnished
from the rain and the storms
the dry heat that quickly turned humid
the cold temperatures that rose to ninety degrees in a day
all for you
yet you’re still miles away
so when you want to hold my hand
and come home
if you even realize there’s a home for you with me
drive the miles to come home
because the keys will still be under the doormat when you get here.
“Eden” by Aren Saraydarian ’26
Beyond the depths and pits of earthly grief,
A pasture lies with treasures yet unseen,
With trees and bushes each adorned in leaf,
And banks of rivers filled with waves so clean.
A peace it holds that no man understands,
A song it sings that no ear comprehends.
The waves so calmly wash upon the sands
Along the river’s path which smoothly bends.
Each chirping bird and every breathing thing
That wanders in this haven up above,
Gives praise and glory to the endless King,
Who fancied such a paradise for love.
Alas, this garden man did sometime know,
But fell beyond its waters deep below.
The Road of Friendship by Theresa Stender ’29
The road of friendship is difficult
to know because sometimes it lasts
a lifetime while sometimes it crashes and
falls and sometimes makes promises
knowing how hard they are to keep or
says “it’ll be forever” but it never knows
how long “forever” will be .
Then one day things could change for
better or for worse, the promises may be
kept and other times they won’t
It’s ok to hurt .
You’ll find another friend
in a day a week or year who
will help light the way along
the road on which friendship goes
Lilies
by Aren Saraydarian ’26
I see the sun arising high,
A cloud not known in all the sky.
Awaiting me a journey lies,
A journey through this land of light.
Afar I walk all through the land,
The grass and flow’rs beneath my hand.
A song of joy runs through my veins,
Again it plays throughout the day.
A stream there is which ever flows,
With peace it cleanses all my woes.
Its waves make glad my somber soul,
And on its shores my heart will dance.
So on I race through endless field,
By all its room my soul is healed.
The hills bow down, the seas will rage,
Each passing dove replies my song.
At last I’m free like birds to soar,
I toil not a single chore.
The sun so brightly shines its rays,
I feel at home, at last I’m free.
But here I wait in deepened grief,
My life usurped by Death the thief.
Oh here I lie to dream of love,
While here I lie cold, dark, and dead.
I’ve heard that Death is soft
so that when we hold it,
it does not callous our hands.
But when I play the guitar
you gave me, I press the strings
too hard and leave valleys
running across my fingertips.
The chords aren’t kind.
The rhythms aren’t pitying.
Death isn’t soft.
Good sir! When I behold thee proud and tall,
Full of thyself, commanding, seeking praise,
Withholding all advance, all kindly phrase,
Thy sullen mouth turn’d downward, and withal
An unforgiving man! Still then I fall
And yearn, and seek, and melt at thy caresses,
Still then I lift my face at thine addresses,
Believe thy flatt’ring words, await thy call…
But Heav’n! when I see thee as one transformed
Rememb’ring not thyself in straits of love—
Angels fall short of thee, nor yet conformed
Is Heaven to our souls, lifted above…
Then hasten not, good sir, to speak a word:
Thy gentle gaze belies thy sullen storms.
“A Glimpse of 2013” by Danielle Kercy
Winner of The Renaissance Challenge: “Memory”
The specific scent of sanitizer stings
my nose, and I am only five years old.
My hair’s adorned with a number
of baby blue barrettes and boul gogo.
Hidden from the unforgiving cold,
is a sheltered seedling.
High pitched chirping,
plastic crinkling,
and a gentle coo.
The sounds of snack time fill the air
of room one hundred and two.
“Childhood Christmas” by Ciara Bice ’25
Waking up on December 1 to find the Elf on the Shelf and open the Advent Calendar there is a sense of joy that fills the soul. Decorating the tree, putting up the Nativity and setting up the Advent Wreath. Taking the train into Manhattan to see the tree and decorations. Attending different shows like the Christmas Spectacular and the ballet. Driving through the Jones Beach light show and staring in awe and all the colors and designs. Wrapping gifts for all my family and friends was like a craft. Laying out cookies and carrots for Santa was such a fun activity. Trying to stay up tracking Santa and see when he would be arriving. Then waking up to the smell of waffles and Christmas carols blasting. The Disney parade being played on the television. Me and my four siblings wait on the stairs to take the picture then run down to rip open the presents and see the stockings. We were all so jovial and grateful. Then somewhere along the way the magic seemed to disappear and the happiness seemed like a chore. As we grew older the once very happy season turned into a gloomy time. As I am now a senior I realize that my childhood is slipping away and I will forever cherish the memories of the magical season of Christmas.
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25:
Photo credit: Mary O’Brien
The Renaissance gathered together to view the 2015 documentary “I Come From,” a film displaying the Voices Inside prison program in Kentucky.
In room 238, the Renaissance gathered with movie snacks and watched the documentary on Friday afternoon, the regular meeting date for the literary arts magazine club. The film focused on inmate Andrew Phillips, a prisoner spending time writing his own plays. Through the Voices Inside program, Phillips developed his play which was produced and premiered in New York. Another inmate used poetry through rap to express his grief in regards to his past mistakes. Each of the inmates featured in the documentary explored his identity through the redemptive power of creative writing and expression.
After watching the film, the Renaissance members discussed “I Come From,” expressing how they were inspired by the inmates’ ability to embrace the arts and find their spirit in such a seemingly hopeless situation. The students were also fascinated by the ability for the prison system to reform through endeavors like Voices Inside, which allow prisoners to grow in healthy and productive ways.
Sophomore Mary O’Brien, who watched the documentary, said, “I was inspired to see these men in difficult situations using art and poetry as an outlet. It sparked my desire to write my own stories and hopefully contribute to the Renaissance one day.”
“Renaissance” publishes regularly on the Kellenberg website and features student literary and artistic works and also publishes an annual print magazine. In addition, club members meet regularly for discussions, readings, and workshops. Any students interested in joining The Renaissance can use this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10h2vzBcnL_S3ua0iTmaPBoY2pYvQl8gEPdfhYT0LFSk/edit?usp=sharing
A dusk was come; the earth a sullen quiet
Had raised to protest Night’s impending gloom,
And pulled the tired land to noiseless riot,
Forestalling to the most the coming doom.
And animals, whose shadows claimed the night,
And glimpsèd were before they turned to naught,
Shrank from the chilling silence, and in fright,
Cried for the warmth the sun no longer wrought.
Then suddenly, this deathly silence shattered,
By chanting in a monastery near,
Brought all the dark, foreboding thoughts to tatters,
And filled the earth with singing sweet and clear.
The notes brought witness: man was not forsaken,
Though light be stripped from land, and earth be shaken.
The freedom we chase
Kids’re so quick to grow up, they dream of being “free”
They race through long grass barefoot, past playgrounds and climbing trees
They never stop to breathe, or take in any scenes
Twenty summers pass and suddenly they see
The freedom that they longed for was never truly free
Now they button up their collars
Pull their laces tight
Looking over shoulders
For a time when everything was bright
Reflection by Ashley Lemus ’26
Koi in a Pond by Ashley Lemus, ’26
Artwork by Lauren Reyes ’26, “New Friends”
“Pink Dogwoods” by ChloeAnn Cajuste ’28
“Soft Glowing Lamp” by Sophia Sontag ’27
“Memory of a Boat Trip” by Lauren Reyes, ’26
“Overgrown” by Rosann Passalacqua An impressionist painting of the memory of my grandparents’ backyard garden.
“Van Gogh Christmas Tree” by Katelin Lopez
Painting: “Let Music Free Your Soul” by Mia Rose Spence ’30, The Renaissance Challenge Winner
Ashlynn Newsome ’25 Reese Holloway ’25 Tristan Weber ’31 Emily Fox ’31
“Energy Doll” Illustration by Brandi Licato ’24
Portrait “Flower” by Riley Fallon ’26
“Blue Portrait” by Elena Brutus ’24
“Flower Painting” by Riley Fallon ’26
“Freshman in the Courtyard” by Lauren Reyes ’26
“Mary, Mother of God” In celebration of the Month of the Rosary and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Rosann Passalacqua, ’27
Bringing Flowers by Katelin Lopez ’25
“Illuminated Face” by Katelin Lopez ’25
“Day Lilies at night” by Adian Mansfield ’23
“Easter Sunday Morning,” by Logan Passo ’26
