Innervisions
Villa Walsh Academy
Morristown, New Jersey
Literary Magazine Staff
Hannah D’cruz ’23
Senior Staff
Emma Kosc ’23
Molly McHugh ’23
Layout and Editing Panel
Johanna Aguilar ‘26
Emma Naughton ‘26
Cierra Wolckenhauer ‘25
Bryanna Liu ‘26
Shalini Patel ‘26
Katherine Ziwot ‘25
Literary Magazine Club
Hannah D’cruz ‘23
Beatrice Crucs ‘24
Katherine Ziwot ‘25
Emma Kosc ‘23
Madeline Knagenhjelm ‘25
Molly McHugh ‘23
Cierra Wolckenhauer ‘25
Johanna Aguilar ‘26 Ava Bentz ‘26
Emma Naughton ‘26
Sabrina Pasko ‘26
Faculty Advisor:
Mrs. Ruthann Lanni
Special Thanks:
Sr. Elaine Bebyn
Mrs. Kimberly Cheifer
Mrs. Trisch Lagana
Mrs. Stacey Grabowski
Bryanna Liu ‘26
Shalini Patel ‘26
Literary & Artistic Table of Contents
Artistic Table of Contents
Artistic Table of Contents
St.LucyFilippini
SamanthaInnella‘28
WhattruefaithinGod Andbraveryittakes, ToshareHismessage Andstandupagainstthefakes.
Whoisthiswoman Whomweshouldalladmire?
St.Lucy,myrolemodel, Herwordswillneverexpire.
Educated,wealthy,andrespected Shegaveitallaway. Shetaughttheuneducated Nowforeverintheirheartswillshestay.
Borntobeasaint Andcompassionateforever. Shemadefriendswithakind-heartedCardinal Andsinnedalmostnever.
HappybirthdaydearLucy! Now350yearshavepassed. Wecelebrateyouinthisspecialway Becauseofthejoyyoumadelast.
You’veshownmelightwhenIwasindarkness AndbyseekingyouIhavebeenconsoled Thankyouforteachingmetotreatothersthewayyoudid NowIknowthatbyhelpingothers,Ibenefittenfold.
OhSt.Lucy! Helpusthroughthishard,everydayfuss. Helpustocarelikeyou. Pleaseprayforallofus.
Emily Costello ‘23
Isabella Pizzo ‘25
A Yellow Rose Hannah D’cruz ‘23
I dream of a yellow rose. Beautiful petals and a tall stem, graceful and elegant. The poignant scent when I inhale. I can imagine it in my hand, mine to hold. So when I close my eyes I dream of a yellow rose. But when I open my eyes I see daffodils and tulips, dandelions and forsythia. Spring colors blossom everywhere. And to my amazement, even little windblown yellow roses mingle right before my eyes. How did I miss them before? Not trimmed and elegant, but natural and clumped together. They’re beautiful.
So I stop dreaming of a perfect yellow rose and enjoy the spring flowers.
Sarah Chambeau ‘24
IntheWings
TessCoffey‘26
Asherhairdrapesdownacrosshershoulder
Hergowniszippedtightwithinthewings
Thewholeaudiencesitsanxiouslylongingtobeholdher
Theinstrumentsinthepitbegintosing
Withtheswishofthecurtain
Herdresstraindrops
Thesoundofherstepsbecomingmorecertain
Andfromthepercussioncomesbrightlittlepops.
Whiletheorchestraroars
Voicesdriftintothenight
Theensembleplayingoutsetminisculewars
Thefinalnotehitting,perfectandtight
Andthereshestands,theheroineinhergown
Inperfectcontrolasshebringsthehousedown.
Gabriella Farag ‘27
Nevin Mahoney ‘23
Alexandra Rezza ‘25
Dreams
Cierra Wolckenhauer ‘25
Dreams are just a fantasy, A false hope for discontented minds. A lie that our hearts deceive us with, Just so we can feel a twinge of happiness in our lives. The world squashes dreams like ants on the ground, But for generations we passed down these hopes anyways.
When we are small we are often told to “Follow our dreams!”
Did our parents know the pain and heartache that we’d suffer?
Did they know that we drive ourselves mad in an attempt to obtain our dreams? Did they know we’d fail over and over again, and not even accomplish our dreams?
Why should I dream if there is pain?
Why should I dream if there is sorrow? Why should I dream if I cannot achieve it?
What is the point of entertaining this illusion of the mind? But… maybe… just maybe… dreams are more than that…
Maybe dreams are fantasies, Maybe they are false hopes, Maybe they are a lie, But they give us happiness in our lives.
The world may squash dreams And they may never come true, But dreams make our lives whole. Maybe our parents knew that.
Is life worth living without hope? Is life worth living if we don’t have to struggle for our goals? Is life worth living without the pain and heartache that leads us to happiness? I don’t think so.
Maybe the point of having dreams is to get something out of life, Whether that may be happiness, peace, contentment, or hope. Even if it only grants temporary pleasure, Dreams are meant to be followed.
ILikeWords
EmilyCostello’23
Ilikewordsthatarespecified,purposeful,surgicaleven. Archetype,palaver,furtive,interdisciplinary,empiricism, behoove,gromit,patina,caustic,crux,churlish,andtrite.
Ilikechaoticwords-wordsthatdauntinglyalludetotheunknown. Arcane,tentative,admonition,surreptitiously.
Ilikeelevatedwords-asortof“stepup” fromanexistingconcept,apromotion!
Ebullience,jovial,propinquity,naif,bonhomie, efficacious,inoculation,confounding,comely,emaciated, insular,reticent,andwan.
Ilikeromanticwords, wordsthatromanticize, thehumorousandsweetcounterparts ofthosewithlessdesirableconnotations. Snafu,placate,amortize,persnickety,andrankled.
Nadia Pinsonault ‘24
Idon'tlikewords.
Wordsthatareaudiblyabrasiveuponyourearsandappearridged:
Wordsthatshouldhaveacomfortingmeaningbuthurtothersthatlackit:
Caroline Thoms ‘25
ILikeWords
SriyaJayanthi
’23
Ilikewords.
wordsthatdescribelittleobjectsorideasthatarecombinedintosomethingwhole, all-encompassingwordslikeconflate,aggregate,corralandconglomerate
Ilikepuncturing,wicked,amdcorruptwords,suchasprecarious,harrow,andpestilent
Ilikewordssuchasenraptured,ardent,anddetestable becausejoyfulwordsthatdescribeindescribablefeelings, feelingsthatencompassanintenselikenessordislikenesstowardssomeone areunlikeanyotherwords
Ilikepiercing,transpicuous,verythoroughwordslikeclarion,paucity,andminutiae
Ilikeallthesewordsandmanymanymore!
Bridget Drew ‘26
BriskStroll LynetteGao‘25
Thegentlezephyrand theconstantcrunchofthebrittlefoliage coveredthefreshearth.
Thebeddingofcolors-vermillion,mocha, citrus,andamber cascadedthetrail.
Hillsuponhillsofdryness broughtasoundofsatisfaction totheearsofmany.
Thevarietyofverdureclungtothe soil-basedground.
Justgaveabitmoresaturationthanthe dull,baretreesthatneededaseasonofrest. Onlythentheplentifuloaks,birches, maples,andmore wouldfluorescence
Lily Meier ‘25
Lily Meier ‘25
The boy
Who stands outside the library
Shoulders leaning inward, Crushing him
His long shorts, verging on rags
The color of wood, Or muddy pavement. He stands
We watch him
The children think he is mean Frightening, They say. They make up stories
A witch, A werewolf
A vampire
I never say anything. But he’s just a boy
A boy who loves books
Who only smiles at the librarian
A smile like snow
Revealing glittering white teeth, Like a monster’s jaws
But he is no monster
The boy
Who stands outside the library
Spine hunched over, Shortening him,
His blue shirt, white splattered with paint, Sad, like his blue eyes that match, Or like a far away planet Or dreams that he had.
He stands
Always in the same spot
Right below the staircase
Like a stone lion
That comes and goes
But is never gone for long Always standing
Like a sentry
Like a stone lion.
The boy
We watch him
We wonder why he stands there
Why?
They ask.
Why do you stand outside the library?
Why do you not go in?
A little girl asked him, It’s cold, she said. Are you cold?
He only grumbled. And pulled his thin jacket tighter, The holes widening.
His hands, well kept, Nails perfectly clean, Sometimes papercut. After he comes back from disappearing.
When the librarian invites him in, Sometimes he refuses, But he always caves, And in he goes. With his glittery smile. We don’t see him for a while after that. Two days, maybe more. He’s sleeping, resting, Lonely. And I am sad Because he doesn’t stay inside. He comes back into the cold. Always.
He never stays in the warm. When he’s in there, the children are too afraid to go in And check out a book. Dr. Seuss stays on the shelf, Roald Dahl, unopened, Shel Silverstein, gathering dust. I go in. That's when I can get all the good books.
Once Josie and her little brother went in, On a dare. Josie said there he was, A big book in his hands, And her brother cried, And she didn’t know what to do. He looked so peaceful, And she felt bad, Her little brother interrupting his solitude like that. So they left, And came back to the other children, Across the way, Where we watched from the picnic tables in the park.
The boy, Who dreams of Shakespeare, Bradbury, Orwell, Ayn Rand.
The boy
Who stands outside the library in the cold And never admits that he shivers But we watch And I see him, He would never admit, But I see him cry sometimes, Just teary eyed, Never a whimper, Just a tear or two.
I think the boy is the ice cream in a rootbeer float The hearts on valentines day the flowers in spring the snow in winter He completes things. Though his perfectly kept hands, May be seen holding an unlit cigarette, I think that they could do so much more.
The boy, Who could do great things, Who could write poems, Songs, Novels, Who knows every quote from every Poe, And every stanza from every Frost. The boy, Who stands outside the library
And we talk. The other children don’t know that But I do. And if they ever knew, I’d become a witch. A werewolf, A vampire. But He is smart. He is a dictionary. He is complete.
The boy who knows everything, He told me that once, When he was little, He had a crackling fire, Warmth, A mother, A mother who held him,
CJ Ainsworth ‘25
The Wanderlust Emma Kosc ‘23
I want to see the world, I want to experience all the cultures I can, I want to meet new people that might change my life for a second, I want to go to places that I have only dreamed about. I have this unexplainable feeling to pack my bags and go explore. Not everyone has it,
And some people call me crazy for it. I want to live in the present and see the world clearly, I want to take pictures to make the memory of adventure last a little longer, I want to buy little knick-knacks that make me smile and remember that place I explored.
I don’t want to run from anything.
It’s more that I want to run to new opportunities. For me, seeing the world is my dream, because it is my freedom, my independence, and the fulfillment of my wanderlust.
Avery Poruczynski ‘25
Night’sDarkAbyss
KatherineZiwot‘25
Asablanketofdarknessfallsbehindthemoon’screst andthe mybodyweakensandpleadsforrest.
Ifindpeaceinthenighttimeglimmers asIstumbletowardmy andrestmyheadonfluffydreambringers. Allmystressmeltswithasinglebreath asIletmyselfsink intolife’simitationofdeath, untilHeaven’sbrightsmile shinesthroughaninvisiblewall, andpullsmebackintothisworldonceagain.
Avery Poruczski ‘25
Julianna DeFazio ‘25
Maureen Simonet ‘23
Brianna Hetherington ‘24
Chiara Fajardo ‘23
Emily Costello ‘23
Lynette Gao‘25
Lia Dyer ‘23
Color, for all that it’s Worth Isabella Propper Stuehr ‘27
There is pity, sorrow, and such But that needn't be considered When life can get out of touch, At least spring melts away the winter
There is joy in life, in color And the sky, so blue, so clear
There is contemplation, endless wonder In the clouds, that float so near
To behold what some cannot, and to feel as though it's yours
Is a feeling most forgot, when they locked themselves indoors
Whether metaphorical, Or a feeling, like a prison
There is more beyond your window sill
There are trees, and grass to sit in
There are flowers that bloom, With the coming of June, In colors pink, red, or blue
The birds that sing, Will nest in the spring And find each other soon
Life will spring up, Like a jack-in-the-box
And for all that it’s worth, So will I
Because life is worth living, Though, my pity I'm giving For those, who just watch it go by
So carpe diem, seize the day! Don't let it pass you by Because some may say life slips away But that doesn’t include you and I
Still, Behold the earth
The color it births
And see the sun paint the sky
The orange and yellow, The clouds, like a pillow Color, To please the eye
Bryanna Liu ‘26
Mary Cafasso ’28
Alexa Barravecchio ’27
Rebekah Saxon ‘27
seem To be everlasting A boy of three Looking at me
Georgia Doyle ‘27
Isabella White ‘26
Amelia Kleinle ‘26
Anna Collins ‘25
Julia Gitto ‘24
Samantha Innella ’28
I reached my hand into the coarse, green bag and felt around for a paper towel wrapped ornament. I pulled one out delicately and smiled as I unwrapped it. It was that same feeling of excitement and glowing warmth that I felt on Christmas morning as I ripped open my gifts.The anticipation, joy, and surprise.The ornament was round and shiny. It was gold and had my name written on it in white, swirly letters. I don’t remember when I got this ornament, only that I’ve had it for as long as I could remember. Each of my family members has identical ones in different colors based on their birth month.As I touched it a memory similar to this rushed back to me.Asmall hand, mine, reaching out to touch its smooth surface.
“Mama, why is mine gold?” my five-year-old self had asked.
“Because you were born in November, your birthstone is topaz, which is a goldish color,” my mother replied in a gentle voice.
“And why is yours red?” I asked even though I already knew the answer.
“Because I was born in January, my birthstone is garnet,” my mother explained in her patient way.
“I want pink, how come I wasn’t born in a month with a pink birthstone?” I had demanded
Leah Costa ‘25
Winter
AngelinaRizk‘25
Thestartofitall.
Whenthecoldwindymonthsbegin
Whereblizzardsoficefilltheair
Thesiblingoffall,spring,andsummerhasarrived
Alldressedinsnowyblankets
Therealmofthecold
Aplaygroundforthepenguins
Adwellingplaceforpolarbears
Icybreezesandgusts
ofwindfilltheair,allseasonlong
Winter,thestartofitall
Leia Lange ‘25
LotusFlowers
IsabellaWhite‘26
Thewakingdaycallsforthelotusflower
It’smadeagluttonoutofyou
You’reconstantlydreamingaboutOlympus
Wishingaboutlifeinparadisewiththegods
Walkingpastthegrandtemples
Pastthegods’shrines
Youreuphoricremedyawaitsyouatthemarketplace
Chasingthatsweetaromaofflowers
Thelotussitsgracefullyonthesurface
Sunblessingthewarmpinkflowers
Thebusychatterofbustlingcrowdsinthe marketplace
Thelonglineoflotus-eatersshovingaround,
Cravingthatfeeling
Somesaythey’regiftsfromthesirens
Tauntingyouwiththeirharmonioussongs
Lotuseseasethepainsofeverydaylifelikethese melodies
Idolizingitspowermorethanthegods
Thesundriftedintheskyagain
Withnotraceofpinklotus
Notreattosellandnodrugtotake
Thisangeredthemortalsdownbelow
Allyellingatthesky
Alldestroyingthetemples
AllshoutingattheOlympiansforthismysteriousabsence
Onlyangstwaslefttofilltheland
Theirlivescorruptwiththosebeautifulbloomingflowers
Wereleftshatteredfromthegodsabove
Nothingcouldeverbringthemsuchbliss
Theysoonbecamemonstroussirens
Lotuseffectsmadethemcluelessandnumb
Hardshipswereallwashedaway
Ifonlytheycouldseetheirfateofbecomingbrokenmen andwomen
They’dregretfallingintothesirencallofthepinklotus
Bryanna Liu ‘26
Juliana Kenworthy ‘28
Thebirdschirpandsingabeautifultune
Itisliketheyarestraightfromacartoon
Theyflyinpackswiththeirbrightcolorsdashing
Likefireworkspassingandmismatching
Therabbitsandsquirrelsscurryabout Andinthepondjumpsthetrout
Theworldisjustlikeanewtoy
Everyoneisspreadwithcontagiousjoy
Kylie Mazzei ‘25
Azariah Andrews ‘27
TheSun
SkylerPela’25
Thebigbrightlight
Distributesitsblazing-Flames
Overtheworld
ItsGolden-Coinlightseverythingup
TheGlowing-Planetluminatesthesky
It'slikeadandeliononfire
Illuminatingeverywhere
Glitteringthroughtheclouds
Radiatingeveryonearound
Brighteninguptheday
Clodagh Bateson ‘26
Sally Walker ‘28
Betrayal in the Saltwater Sea Emma Naughton ‘26
Odysseus sitting on the sharp, jagged rocks looking out on the cold gray sea
The salt from the sea spray stinging his eyes and adding to his tears
The splintered fragments of his demolished ship drifting in the water
Shattered like Odysseus’broken dreams
Odysseus looking up at the cloudy gray sky, the weight of grief in his heart
All his crew was gone, lost in the deep depths of the endless saltwater sea
Their cries for help ringing in his ears
Their looks of terror, permanently plastered in his brain
Why had they been so foolish as to go against the words of Circe andTiresias?
Odysseus with his eyes closed only hearing the crashing of the waves
The thought of his lovely wife Penelope overtaking his thoughts
Her beautiful face and her sweet voice
Odysseus with his thoughts turned to his longing for his wife and his son
His kingdom his home, all that he left behind
The smell of the salt water and seaweed engulfed his nose
The taste of the fish stained his tongue
He longed for the taste of the feasts in his own home
He longed for his comfortable bed and warm clothes
Oh why oh why did he have to be so alone?
Odysseus sitting on the sharp, jagged rocks looking out on the cold gray sea
Closing his eyes and breathing in the smell of the ocean
Letting the sound of the crashing waves wash over him
Odysseus sitting alone above the treacherous Charybdis
Why had his men disobeyed him so?
Odysseus stranded on jagged rocks above the ocean
Odysseus in all of his misery with a deep hurt in his soul
Odysseus, heart heavy with an uneasy feeling
Odysseus with the sense he had been betrayed
Abetrayal in the saltwater sea.
Nina McLaughlin ‘26
BrightAngel
Madeline Knagenhjelm ‘25
Earth, a darkened world
Underneath the protection, Of the bright, glowing sky angel. The angel is warmth, a life-house of light. Comforting.
The angel is blazing, a fire in the sky. Earth’s lamp, guiding the way in the darkness. Light overcomes the pitch of night–gloom. It is joyful brightness cast over the earth. Rising and setting, with assuring constance. The comfort and protection of the sun, the safety of the eternal lighthouse of the sky.
Bridget Drew ‘26
Isabella White ‘26
HopefulHome
BryannaLiu’26
Twolonelycoordinatessitonamap awaitingtheirowner,stuckatbay. Tidesrollhimback,andthewindsblowhimaway butnothingwillpreventhimfrommeetinghisgrandday. Hismindisthekey tohishopefulquarters; butdigginginside,hefindsnothingbutrestrictingborders. Silenceechoesinthehalls; thedoorslock andhismouthshuts. Lifetumbledshort andnoonecametoclaim thenowheavy, heavydoorsofshame.
FallenSoldiers AudreyWilbanks‘25
Thecrunchyproductsoftrees Fallingtosignalthewinter Decoratingthegroundwithwarm andvibranttones
Theblessingsoftheautumn Redandorangesnow
Ajoytoeyesallaround Creatingpilestobejumpedinto andlawnstoberaked
Applepiesandmuffinstobebaked Trickortreatersonthestreet Withleavesunderfeet Fallensoldiersfreshfrombattle Thetreesarethelasttolive
Jesse Kramer ‘24
Seasons
Brooke Hetherington ‘25
Winterspringsummerfall fourdifferentpersonalities, fourinseparablebestfriends
Winter
Hisicyeyelashesandice-coldhands castasheetofwhitesnow onthefloorandcausethebreathofwoodtobecome bare
Spring
Herblondehairandtanskincreatethesmall decorationsoftheearthandplants ofasweetsmelltobloom
Summer
Herlightpinksundressandbrightblueeyesmakethe wavesintheoceancrashonthewarmsand
Fall
Hisorangehairandtinyfrecklestriggertheleavesto changecolorsonthehouseofthebirdsandsquirrels
Onewaitspatientlyfortheother untiltheygettheirtimetoshine
Thefoursticktogether andneverfalloutofplace
Allofthemcombinedtoformayearfullof changesanddifferentperceptionsofbeauty Eachoneisuniqueyettheyallneedeachother toseemmorespecial
Winterspringsummerfall
Fourdifferentpersonalities, fourinseparablebestfriends
Nina Mody ‘25
Agustina Martinez Ferretti ‘25
Castle
(Inspiredby“SomeNights”byfun)
Madeline
Knagenhjelm‘27
Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights I wish they’d just fall off.
Some nights, I wish that this all would end.
Because I could use some friends for a change.
And some nights I’m scared you’ll forget me again.
But some nights I always win.
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost.
Oh Lord, I’m still not sure what I stand for.
So this is it?
I sold my soul for this?
Castleofshiningmarble,gleamingbrightly
Afortressofstone.Ironbars.Sharp,cold,secludedsteel.
Willsomeonecomeandtearmycastledown?
Willtheystayandfight?
Isthealliancestrongenough,strongenoughsothey won’tturnaway?
Retreatingisdefeat.
Mykingdom,mycastle.
Desertedandempty.
Fightingalone
Thecastlecrumbles.
CJ Ainsworth ‘25
#LOST
SabrinaPasko‘26
Drearybody,dirtyhands,sweatyback whatelsecanhappen i'malreadybroken ifdeadtoallbutalivefortwo,ishallcontinue myinfiniteendcanconfoundme butnotuntilweleavethissea thewatersurroundsandfoldsmeintoitsstories itsbeginningsandendingsarealsoforme ittakesmewhereitwants-ifeellost soextremelylost thoughicrosslands,nonearemyown justshowmewhereioncewas,notthisunknown letmeseemyowngreen,notthese givememyownlife,notadisguise findmyshore,whoeverhearsme soicanbeforevermore
Anna Connor ‘24
Catherine Lane ‘24
Sarah Chambeau ‘24
ABirdwithClippedWings
ShaliniPatel‘26
IthasbeenyearssinceI’veseenmydearOdysseus
Ilongdayandnighttoseeyou,mylove
DaysgobyinthisprisonI’min
ItfeelslikeIamtrapped
AllIcanseearebarskeepingmefromyou
Suitorshavebargedintoourhomewaitingformetomarrythem
Icannot
Myheartstillbelongstoyou,sweetOdysseus
Noiseechoesthroughthehalls
Yet,allIcanhearissilence
Loud,intoxicatingsilence
Theyfeastandfeastdayandnight
However,Iaminmyprisonstarvingmyself
Icannoteatwiththosemen
Theyarelikelemonsthatgrowontrees-toosourtoeveneat
Therefore,Irefusetoeverdinewiththem
Myheartbelongstoyou,sweetOdysseus
Ionlyeverwanttoeatwithyouandourdearson
IweaveandunweaveeverydayputtingoffadaythatIhopewillnevercome
Idonotwishtomarryanyofthosepigs
Butifyoudon’treturn,Imust
Comehome,mysweetOdysseus
Ifeelemptywithoutyou
Iamnotaloneinourhouseandyet,whydoIfeelsolonely?
Iamaqueenafterall
Ishouldbehappy,butnothinginthisworldmakesmehappy
Exceptforyou,sweetOdysseus
Return,mylove
Thesebarsaresmoothandlookunharmful
Buttheyareindestructible
SavemeforIamaBirdwithClippedWings
Teagan MacPherson ‘26
Cara Fitzpatrick ’26
Flower
the Heart
Theromanticfragranceofdevotion thatfillstheairwithlove
it’scolorfulpetalsfreshenthebelatedspringair.
It’sthornystock
Supportsthisfloralblossom
Andbeneathitallremainstheloamsoil
Thathelpstherosegrow.
Thisplantisthefloweroftheheart
Sparkofallromance
Inspirationforlove
Andtheessenceofalljoy
Charlotte Stager ‘26
Julia Gitto ‘24
of
Erin Lyons ‘25
Are you gonna quit?
Blythe Dudley ‘26
Sorrow fills that air
All of your men are dead silent
Each one’s heart weighed down by pain
You think of those you have lost
You think of those you will lose
You think of your wife, your boy, your kingdom
Here there is damp air and lost hope
Here there is nothing
You think hard
You think long
Suddenly, a thought
See It Through Sofia
Kearns ‘26
GoGoGo
Theglasshalffull Despairandnohope
Therainandthestorms
Theshiprocks
Takingondifficultobstacles
Withagoalinmymind
ButIhavethefightthat'shardtoclimb
Jillian Paolino ‘26
