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Rosanna Mclaughlin
Rosanna Mclaughlin is an editor at The White Review.

Articles Available Online


The Pious and the Pommery

Essay

Issue No. 18

Rosanna Mclaughlin

Essay

Issue No. 18

I.   Where is the champagne? On second thoughts this is not entirely the right question. The champagne is in the ice trough, on...

Essay

April 2019

Ariana and the Lesbian Narcissus

Rosanna Mclaughlin

Essay

April 2019

‘Avoid me not!’ ‘Avoid me not!’                                   Narcissus   Let me describe a GIF I’ve been watching. A lot....

I strayed into the church on an impulse It was a mistake to get off the bus in the village here I should have waited until we reached the summer cabins, but all of a sudden I wasn’t sure where we were I got off without asking It turned out to be eighteen kilometres too soon The next bus isn’t until three, which is another four hours yet It’s like that on Saturdays, in the outlying areas   Now I’m sitting in the church with my holdall, surrounded by people in their best clothes I might as well be doing something while I’m here The main door is still open and the sun is shining outside The church is on top of a hill When I turn round and look out, I can see the view of fields and the sky Many of the others keep turning round too, twisting their heads this way and that After a bit there’s some muffled activity in the porch The organ begins to play and the bride steps into the church on her father’s arm Everyone stands up, nodding and smiling   I look into the bride’s eyes as she comes past Her hair is blonde and arranged in an updo Her father nods An elderly woman next to me leans across   ‘Ooh,’ she says softly   Her voice is a tremble She smells of camphor   ‘Yes,’ I whisper back   ‘Isn’t she just!’ the woman says, still a tremble   We sit down and the ceremony begins       After it starts I nearly leave I ought to But on the other hand it’s anyone’s right to sit and gape And if I leave now I’ll only draw attention So I stay put and join in the hymns when it’s time to sing, and leaf on to the next one in plenty of time   It takes a while, but then it’s over and the happy couple kiss The door is opened and the organ plays They walk back up the aisle, holding hands and smiling   Once they’ve left the church the guests follow them out I wait until last A woman stands in the porch shaking everyone’s hand;

Contributor

July 2016

Rosanna Mclaughlin

Contributor

July 2016

Rosanna Mclaughlin is an editor at The White Review.

Ten Years at Garage Moscow

Art Review

November 2018

Rosanna Mclaughlin

Art Review

November 2018

When I arrive in Moscow, I am picked up from the airport by Roman, a patriotic taxi driver sent to collect me courtesy of...
Becoming Alice Neel

Art

August 2017

Rosanna Mclaughlin

Art

August 2017

From the first time I saw Alice Neel’s portraits, I wanted to see the world as she did. Neel was the Matisse of the...

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poetry

January 2013

Three Poems from Strawberry Aftertaste/ Ostateczny Smak Truskawek

Genowefa Jakubowska-Fijałkowska

TR. Marek Kazmierski

poetry

January 2013

  * * * zieleń jest zielona   z rana przymrozki   czujesz to w ziemi   w białej...

Prize Entry

April 2016

Oögenesis

Karina Lickorish Quinn

Prize Entry

April 2016

After her daughter had – for the third time, no less – laid her eggs in the fruit bowl,...

poetry

September 2011

First Blimp

Joshua Trotter

poetry

September 2011

Removing colour from my thoughts, I formed a winter ball. I threw it. The dead were uncounted. There was...

 

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