Issue 08
Content and trigger warnings for Issue 08 include depictions and discussions of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, graphic aftermath of death and suicide, allusions to rape, denial of support for rape victims, sexual activity (both consensual/desired and forced), manic episodes, and self-harm. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list; these are overt themes or events. Please exercise caution when reading these stories and poems.
Light balances dark, but sometimes it isn’t enough. And sometimes, the things we think are light—that we think are truth—are darkness masquerading as helpfulness, tough love, cures for the deficiencies woven into the fabric of humanity. Before we can fix anything, we have to look, and before we can look, it must be laid bare.
Immerse yourself in this tension of light and dark throughout the words and images of Issue 08 of Reservoir Road Literary Review.
“Lullabies” by Rachael Holliday
“Sleeping Venus, or an Elegy for Carina Saunders” by Betty Stanton
“Hospital Notes” by Kaleb Lavender
“The Prison of Survival” by Suzannah Van Gelder
“Rockin’ Ronnie Says So Long” by Paul Ruta
“Going Under” by Karen Kilcup
“Confessions of a Church Janitor Part I” by Levi Rogers
“Quantum physics in the garden” by Monica Wang
“Little Silver Subaru” by Candice Kelsey
“les biens, french for property” by Ellie Wardman
“When a Woman Rapes a Woman” by Emily Ezzo
“All at Once Blue” by Molly Greer
In order by written work with featured photography accompaniments:
“Lullabies” by Rachael Holliday, featuring “Windward Windows 1” by Damien Jackson
“Sleeping Venus, or an Elegy for Carina Saunders” by Betty Stanton, featuring “Lean on Me” by Briana Gervat
“Hospital Notes” by Kaleb Lavender, featuring “Windward Windows 1” by Damien Jackson
“The Prison of Survival” by Suzannah Van Gelder, featuring “Salton Sea 1” by Alex Stolis
“Rockin’ Ronnie Says So Long” by Paul Ruta, featuring “Windward Windows 2” by Damien Jackson
“Going Under” by Karen Kilcup, featuring “Salton Sea 2” by Alex Stolis (cover image)
“Confessions of a Church Janitor Part I” by Levi Rogers, featuring “Windward Windows 3” by Damien Jackson
“Quantum physics in the garden” by Monica Wang, featuring “Salton Sea 3” by Alex Stolis
“Little Silver Subaru” by Candice Kelsey, featuring “Windward Windows 5” by Damien Jackson
“les biens, french for property” by Ellie Wardman, featuring “Salton Sea 4” by Alex Stolis
“When a Woman Rapes a Woman” by Emily Ezzo, featuring “Windward Windows 6” by Damien Jackson
“All at Once Blue” by Molly Greer, featuring “Salton Sea 5” by Alex Stolis