Letter from the 2020 Editors:

The journal dedicates itself to showcasing the diverse talent and experience of SIUE’s undergraduate and graduate students. Selecting the pieces to be presented here was no easy task.  Each piece was read, reread, and then read again.  Each submission was put under our fine aesthetic microscope.  Deep discussions were had, respectful arguments took place, and alliances were forged and broken (often on the same day) to bring the editing team to a consensus of what was truly the most representative works from the talented students of SIUE.  The literature selected for this year’s River Bluff Review not only exemplifies great writing, but works were purposefully selected that presented different perspectives and styles, broaching subjects that range from the delightfully mundane, to the painfully current.   

We are very grateful to the gifted visual artists whose work adds a meaningful dimension to this issue.  
Thank you to the College of Arts and Sciences for their support. Thank you English Department--we love you so much. As editors and students, our first digital adventure would not have been possible without our professor's guidance and patience, Valerie Vogrin. 

We would be remiss if we did not mention that this year has been particularly challenging.  Together we have experienced a global pandemic, isolation, and civic turmoil.  A great amount of the submissions reflected the frustration, sadness, yet overall hope experienced by the writers this year.  The editing team has selected what we feel are the most thought-provoking and eloquent examples of this subject. 
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Putting together this year’s edition has been a remarkable, yet sometimes frantic process.  The privilege to read so much wonderful writing has truly been a gift.  We hope you enjoy.