The Renaissance

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.

The Renaissance (Poem) “In response to ‘Woman! when I behold thee flippant, vain'” by Victoria Vakser ’26

March 14, 2025

 

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.

The Renaissance: Poetry: “A Glimpse of 2013” by Danielle Kercy

March 10, 2025

“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.

Prose: “Childhood Christmas” by Ciara Bice ’25

January 20, 2025

“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. 

Renaissance Views Powerful Documentary

January 9, 2025

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

Poem: “A dusk was come” by Victoria Vakser ’26

December 7, 2024

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.

Poem “The freedom we chase” by Kylie Mummendey ’25, The Renaissance Challenge Winner

November 22, 2024

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 

 

Poem “The Gossamer Curtain” by Victoria Vakser, ’26

October 18, 2024

Sometimes
Time seems but a sad joke
Millions of tiny pictures
Bright, flashy,
Cheap.
All crowded
Into a frame which reads,
Your Life.
But if you push aside
That frame,
You’ll see a curtain
From afar
It looks so thick
You could never see through.
But if you come up close
You’ll see
It’s really made of
Gossamer
Woven by fairy-fingers
And spun on
Dreams.
Sometimes
I flick the corner of that curtain,
And glimpse
What lies Beyond—
But then, against my will,
My hand
Pulls back,
It’s Not Your Time Yet.
And so I turn
To face Reality.

The Renaissance Challenge Winner: The Energy of The Mind by Veronica Belanger ’24

February 2, 2024

The Energy of The Mind

By Veronica Belanger ’24

 

Today and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, tired I find

myself running on the hamster wheel of my own mind. 

It leaves me wandering in place, in complete confusion  While it runs and jumps (mostly to conclusions). 

I just want a break, to ease this aching head. 

Sleep becomes my ocean, I’m in the boat that is my bed. 

Even while unconscious, my brain cannot rest.
It won’t slow down, pounding like the heart in my chest,

Weaving these tales, ‘dreams’ as they’re called: 

Sometimes they’re soft and lovely, sometimes I’m left appalled  

How does my brain know things that I do not? 

I’d try to take control, but that’s a battle that should not be fought. 

I’ve left it to its own device, wandering as it pleases I just listen closely to all its ranting and its speeches 

I attempt to keep up with its pace, I really and truly try, but why, oh, why must my brain have more energy than I?

Poem “Distance” by Elena Brutus ’24

November 3, 2023

Distance
By Elena Brutus ‘24

 

As I crossed the border I knew

This was the last time I would see you

 

She told me from the beginning to keeps my distance

Of course, I’m stubborn so, I didn’t listen

 

The days flew by

and our friendship grew

Soon everything in sight

reminded me of you

 

So this is goodbye

To my very first friend

The distance between us

Stretches on till the end 

“Love’s No Streaming Service” by Katelin Lopez ’25

October 27, 2023

Love’s No Streaming Service

 

Feeling blue lately 

without you

but looking at this screen  

reminds me of you. 

It’s 3 A.M.

The distance between us

is tiring my heart apart.

I wish we were a Netflix movie 

so I can just hit restart 

 

“Real Things” by Riley Fallon ’26

October 20, 2023

“Real Things” by Riley Fallon ’26

Real things take time
Like the flower that grows
From a seed
In the ground

It won’t sprout overnight
Or in a day
It will take days
Or weeks
Or months
Or years

But, the more time
The flower has to grow
The more water
And sunlight
It gets
The more beauty
It holds

So when you see the seed
That you plant
In the ground
Don’t worry
About how long
It takes to grow
Just remember
How beautiful
It will be one day

“A Hymn to the Morning” by Victoria Vakser ’26

October 13, 2023

“A Hymn to the Morning” by Victoria Vakser ’26

O come, all the Offended
Behold the rising sun;
Your darkest times are ended,
A new day has begun.

Come now! the birds are gathered,
Their sweetest songs they sing;
A hymn to their Creator,
To the almighty King.

All creatures now are stirring,
To duties they must run;
Arise, therefore, and come ye,
The Lord’s work must be done.

One day the sun shall shine no more,
The birds shall stop their song,
But Christ, who keeps me in His love,
Shall know where I belong.

So flock to Him! Run to the Light!
Behold the Radiant Son!
Hope for Salvation lies with Him
For each and every one.

Perferction

Artwork by Ashley Lemus ’26

Untitled

Artwork by Kimoi Lamy ’26

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