banner
LightNews
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland
@caseyreiland.bsky.social
330 followers 300 following 320 posts
Bad sleeper | In search of the perfect bagel | Words in HAD, trampset, On the Seawall, and elsewhere www.caseyreiland.com
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
I have two new poems published today in @emergejournal.bsky.social! Read em here: emergeliteraryjournal.com/the-connecti...
The Connection The space between the sternum and the slope of flesh says so much. Here, a quarter, shiny like macadam in the morning sun, now thrown at her chest. A boy says, Look at how it slides right over her middle. Boarded, flat, fabled. This too a fable: Lavender. Tea tree oil. How many times have I written about what my body could not give? Instead, consider my grandmother, her torso gaping like mine. My sister insists we inherited our breasts from her, and I’ll admit this once would have split me of resentment— girl who wants to take up space, who wants to be enclosed perfectly into someone’s fist. Always myself witnessed in another’s eyes, a mark, a haunting, ruptured ribs in the canyons of their irises. But in my grandmother’s ripening, I now behold how we are bound, hanging on to what we still can, cupping the curves of each other’s hands. The thing we contain: a sphere of silver, spinning like a coin. I Said I Would Never Write About 2020 My coworker asks, “Wanna hear something funny?” and describes how he was hit by a car. I find his indifference to the ruthlessness of our job equivalent to the shock that comes from salt stinging a wound: a searing white space. Me: “Aren’t you ever angry?” Him___. When we fuck later, a barren plain glaciates between us. If I’m being honest, I mostly wanted to sleep with him because he is ___ years older than me. Age specifically has a distance. So does trauma. I’m afraid of driving because I’ve been in a car that spun into a cornfield. I was thirteen. My friend’s older sister was driving us to a Halloween party. The coarse dying stalks revolved yellow-green-yellow in my vision, and all I could think was, I’m going to___. In the mornings after the world has shut down, there goes the yellow-green-yellow-green in my mind. I text my one friend, What if one of us___? How do___? I’m so___. Later, my roommate reprimands me for almost wearing sandals to a protest at the White House. When the tear gas blooms a sulfur mist, I let their shaming engulf my legs as we run, grateful to have someone unafraid in their bluntness. I tell my mother what happens, and she says, ______. My coworker insists he only wants my body, and I let him have it because this is the year where I cough up shards of ice, where inside my mouth is a killing frost.
1 2 5
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 5h
I’m a calzone and one beer deep on the T rn and just read this short story about food and friendship and omg the end made me tear up???
livesinpages.bsky.social
Chris Gonzalez @livesinpages.bsky.social · 1d
I have a new story out today @maudlinhouse.bsky.social! Writing it was heavily inspired by the increasing cost of groceries and general anxieties around money and trying to live a stupid little life!
maudlinhouse.bsky.social
Maudlin House @maudlinhouse.bsky.social · 1d
Tap It, Swipe It, Charge It by Christopher Gonzalez

maudlinhouse.net/tap-it-swipe...
1 3 6
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
ICYMI: I have two new poems in Emerge Lit Journal today! I’ve been feeling pretty discouraged with writing in general, so I’m very pleased these babies have been picked up. :)
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
I have two new poems published today in @emergejournal.bsky.social! Read em here: emergeliteraryjournal.com/the-connecti...
The Connection The space between the sternum and the slope of flesh says so much. Here, a quarter, shiny like macadam in the morning sun, now thrown at her chest. A boy says, Look at how it slides right over her middle. Boarded, flat, fabled. This too a fable: Lavender. Tea tree oil. How many times have I written about what my body could not give? Instead, consider my grandmother, her torso gaping like mine. My sister insists we inherited our breasts from her, and I’ll admit this once would have split me of resentment— girl who wants to take up space, who wants to be enclosed perfectly into someone’s fist. Always myself witnessed in another’s eyes, a mark, a haunting, ruptured ribs in the canyons of their irises. But in my grandmother’s ripening, I now behold how we are bound, hanging on to what we still can, cupping the curves of each other’s hands. The thing we contain: a sphere of silver, spinning like a coin. I Said I Would Never Write About 2020 My coworker asks, “Wanna hear something funny?” and describes how he was hit by a car. I find his indifference to the ruthlessness of our job equivalent to the shock that comes from salt stinging a wound: a searing white space. Me: “Aren’t you ever angry?” Him___. When we fuck later, a barren plain glaciates between us. If I’m being honest, I mostly wanted to sleep with him because he is ___ years older than me. Age specifically has a distance. So does trauma. I’m afraid of driving because I’ve been in a car that spun into a cornfield. I was thirteen. My friend’s older sister was driving us to a Halloween party. The coarse dying stalks revolved yellow-green-yellow in my vision, and all I could think was, I’m going to___. In the mornings after the world has shut down, there goes the yellow-green-yellow-green in my mind. I text my one friend, What if one of us___? How do___? I’m so___. Later, my roommate reprimands me for almost wearing sandals to a protest at the White House. When the tear gas blooms a sulfur mist, I let their shaming engulf my legs as we run, grateful to have someone unafraid in their bluntness. I tell my mother what happens, and she says, ______. My coworker insists he only wants my body, and I let him have it because this is the year where I cough up shards of ice, where inside my mouth is a killing frost.
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
When I start having convos like this with people, I know we are about to become good friends!
1 6
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
Both are about my body in some way…seems to be a theme these days. Anyway, I’m quite proud of what I’ve written. Thanks so much to the Emerge editors!! :)
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 2d
I have two new poems published today in @emergejournal.bsky.social! Read em here: emergeliteraryjournal.com/the-connecti...
The Connection The space between the sternum and the slope of flesh says so much. Here, a quarter, shiny like macadam in the morning sun, now thrown at her chest. A boy says, Look at how it slides right over her middle. Boarded, flat, fabled. This too a fable: Lavender. Tea tree oil. How many times have I written about what my body could not give? Instead, consider my grandmother, her torso gaping like mine. My sister insists we inherited our breasts from her, and I’ll admit this once would have split me of resentment— girl who wants to take up space, who wants to be enclosed perfectly into someone’s fist. Always myself witnessed in another’s eyes, a mark, a haunting, ruptured ribs in the canyons of their irises. But in my grandmother’s ripening, I now behold how we are bound, hanging on to what we still can, cupping the curves of each other’s hands. The thing we contain: a sphere of silver, spinning like a coin. I Said I Would Never Write About 2020 My coworker asks, “Wanna hear something funny?” and describes how he was hit by a car. I find his indifference to the ruthlessness of our job equivalent to the shock that comes from salt stinging a wound: a searing white space. Me: “Aren’t you ever angry?” Him___. When we fuck later, a barren plain glaciates between us. If I’m being honest, I mostly wanted to sleep with him because he is ___ years older than me. Age specifically has a distance. So does trauma. I’m afraid of driving because I’ve been in a car that spun into a cornfield. I was thirteen. My friend’s older sister was driving us to a Halloween party. The coarse dying stalks revolved yellow-green-yellow in my vision, and all I could think was, I’m going to___. In the mornings after the world has shut down, there goes the yellow-green-yellow-green in my mind. I text my one friend, What if one of us___? How do___? I’m so___. Later, my roommate reprimands me for almost wearing sandals to a protest at the White House. When the tear gas blooms a sulfur mist, I let their shaming engulf my legs as we run, grateful to have someone unafraid in their bluntness. I tell my mother what happens, and she says, ______. My coworker insists he only wants my body, and I let him have it because this is the year where I cough up shards of ice, where inside my mouth is a killing frost.
1 2 5
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 8d
Hi I’m about to turn 30
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 8d
In today’s episode of “Being a Preschool Teacher Is Making Me Have a Crisis About My Age,” I took the kids to the playground and went on the swings with them, only find out that swinging now gives me MOTION SICKNESS
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 9d
Are there any online writing workshops that specifically help with generative novel writing? I can only seem to come up with short story ideas. I lose steam easily, so I would like a class that could inspire novel plots and also encourage hitting a word count. #writingcommunity
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 10d
Oh, I didn’t know they were on hiatus! I have a sub with them too, but a few months ago I noticed they no longer had their about info or submission guidelines online, so I assumed they just went dark
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 10d
This. And it’s hilarious that Klein continues to call people who refuse to work with fascists as “fatalistic.” He won’t consider historical context nor the long fight it will take to transform our country for the better. Just listen to his interview with TNC. All he wants is a Bandaid.
helldude.bsky.social
jeff com-BOO-ters @helldude.bsky.social · 11d
i keep saying this but what i hate most about the ezra kleins of the world is their insistence is that politics is about messaging and triangulating. its never about offering a compelling vision of the world, its about trying desperately to capitulate to whatever moment we are in
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 11d
Idc what their political parties are/were, stop acting like this is how we do “politics the right way”
2
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 11d
I need people to stop saying that it was big of Tr*mp to “reach across the aisle” to people like Joe Rogan and RFK and bring them into his coalition. Like, why are y’all acting like they were not on the same side as him?? HELLO??!!
1 3
Reposted by Casey Reiland
roxanegay.bsky.social
Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 16d
I wrote about the dangerous fantasy of the civility framework in political discourse. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/o...
Opinion | Civility Is a Fantasy
www.nytimes.com
22 190 820
Reposted by Casey Reiland
roxanegay.bsky.social
Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 29d
It’s an absolute shame that DC fired Gretchen Felker- Martin for exercising free speech and then @bsky.app suspended her account. Every writer here should be decrying this because we have to stand up for each other! This is ridiculous.
160 2.9K 9.7K
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · 29d
Whew, what a poem
toddedillard.bsky.social
pumpkin spice Toddé @toddedillard.bsky.social · Sep 2
my issue of Threepenny is here! here’s my poem “Present Tense,” I would love for you to give it a read!

“I know this so loudly I don’t
hear, at first, my father’s silence.”
Present Tense by Todd Dillard My father’s telling me about his dog, how it fell into a well when they were walking down a wooded path. His dog ran across some rotted planks, the planks splintered, “And whoosh!” my father says. “No more dog.” I look at the clock and remind my father it’s three A.M. “I’m not finished,” he says. He tells me about the rope he bought, the bucket, how he knotted the rope to the bucket, lowered it down, and yelled for the dog to get in. “But all I pulled up was more barking.” “Dad,” I say. “This never happened.” He says he can’t remember how long he tried to get the dog to shimmy into the bucket. Just that at some point when the sky turned tawny—“Dad—“ as a pitcher of sweet tea—“Dad—“ he decided to give up. “Dad,” I say. “It’s late. I’m tired. And you’re dead.” “Dammit, son,” my father says. “Let me finish!” My father tells me about filling the bucket with dirt and pouring the dirt into the well. And I know what he’s getting at, I know he’s going to tell me bucket by bucket he filled the well and the dog jumped out. He’s going to say something about how the dog led him home through the dark. I know this so loudly I don’t hear, at first, my father’s silence. “Dad?” I say. “Dad, are you there?” I keep lowering the bucket but all I ever pull up are leaves. Red leaves. Lately, some gold.
1 3
Reposted by Casey Reiland
emmabolden.bsky.social
Emma Bolden @emmabolden.bsky.social · Sep 10
trying to fit in as many trips to the olive garden as possible before the world ends
5 11 58
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Sep 4
I also went into this thinking I wouldn’t find the miniseries scary because I’ve heard so many bad reviews about, but Tim Curry is actually fucking terrifying and I was right to be scared by him as a child
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Sep 4
Watching IT (1990) and, yeah, I get the critiques about the inconsistencies with the adaptation and the weird pacing but holy fucking shit Tim Curry!!!
1 1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 31
I love Fen by Daisy Johnson!
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 23
Also started to make me wonder if I was bi because I had a crush on both Greta Gerwig and Michael Zegen lol
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 23
Frances Ha. I found it randomly online and watched it by myself in college. The first time I’d ever seen a friendship between two women that felt true to the kind I’d experienced and the kind I still try to have today.
bwdr.bsky.social
Bright Wall/Dark Room @bwdr.bsky.social · Aug 23
What movie has had the most impact on your actual literal life? Not necessarily your favorite, but the one that’s most influenced or shaped something in your trajectory?
1 3
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 22
At a cafe with the bf. He says, unprompted, “It happened.”

Me: “What?”

Bf: “I got to the part of my coffee where I have hope for the world again”
1
Reposted by Casey Reiland
joefielder.bsky.social
Joe Fielder @joefielder.bsky.social · Aug 18
Banksy by way of Ratatouille in Somerville MA.
RAT art.
3 19 79
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 19
Omg I used to live a couple blocks away from here! Glad someone is doing something with it 🤣
1
caseyreiland.bsky.social
Casey Reiland @caseyreiland.bsky.social · Aug 15
Omg stitch comics are a thing? Obsessed! 🪡
anmlymag.bsky.social
ANMLY @anmlymag.bsky.social · Aug 15
Read "Never Friends Always Lovers," a cross stitch comic by Kamei in full at ANMLY!

anmly.org/ap40/kamei/
Cross stitch comic of two towels hanging side by side
1 3 5