As It Ought To Be Magazine

29/09/2026

Our September Poetry Edition is live! Check our fresh new poetry by Kelli Austin, Rick Christiansen, James Duncan, Howie Good, Paul Koniecki, Lenore Rosenberg, Moudi Sbeity and Robin Wright!

https://asitoughttobemagazine.com/2026/09/29/poetry-september-2026/

Kelli Austin and Rick Christiansen: “Word Gets Around” James Duncan: “Terminal Moraine” Howie Good: “Insomnia” Paul Koniecki: “(Misfits) Camping in the round” Lenore Rosenberg: “This story” Moudi S…

28/09/2026

New poetry by Aaron D. Wiegert on AIOTB!

Psalms of the Wisconsin Dells Our car’s gone! She says to herselfbut loud enough for our double room. Forehead to the glass, the sun slantsthrough the window, longingfor a place where souls commune…

24/09/2026

AIOTB is proud to announce our nominees for the 2027 Best of the Net Anthology:

Susan Cossette: “Bad Marguerite”
Dolo Diaz: “Environmental Collapse”
Joseph Geskey: “STEM As Part of a Flower”
Jade Kleiner: “Blood Draw at MGH”
Anna Saunders: “One whistle to go after”
Alicia Wright: “She doesn’t wish me dead”

As It Ought To Be is proud to announce our nominees for the 2027 Best of the Net Anthology. Susan Cossette: “Bad Marguerite” Dolo Diaz: “Environmental Collapse” Joseph Geske…

21/09/2026

New poetry on AIOTB by Tim Peeler!

Pedagogue I taught for the kids that smelled like campfire smoke,For the ones who grunted and twitched andLooked at the tops of their worn out shoes,For the ones whose parents stole their Pell mone…

19/09/2026

I spoke at her funeral,
visited her resting place,
and so often wonder
if it is a crime
to feel closer to her now
than I did when I could touch her.

New poetry by Kelly Murashige on AIOTB!

Hakamairi I have always been hauntedby the idea of ghosts.Claimed I saw themand knew themand spoke to them like old friends. My great-grandfather passed first,soon after I turned four.To express my…

18/09/2026

The aquarium performs
its ancient duty:

to borrow attention
from worry.

New poetry by David Anson Lee on AIOTB!

13/09/2026

"a family inheritance
from a cowardly lion"

New poetry on AIOTB by John Dorsey!

A Full Head of Hair is the only thingmy mother’s fatherever left mea family inheritancefrom a cowardly lionnot black & whitepictures of weltson my young deadgrandmother’s facenot the courageto …

11/09/2026

New poem by Holly Day on AIOTB!

About the Author: Holly Day’s writing has recently appeared in The NoSleep podcast, Talking River, and New Plains Review, and her published books include Music Theory for Dummies and Music Composit…

07/09/2026

"what news will you bring
from the sawdust underworld,
what revelations?"

New poetry by Susan Cossette on AIOTB!

Orpheus Leaves Me His Lyre-for Mike Finley, King of the St. Paul Poets the dried red and orangemaple leavesare fluorescent confettifragments of you, smilingcrunching shellsunder my black ballet fla…

31/08/2026

Our August 2026 Poetry Edition is live!

Check out fresh poems by Susan Cossette, Holly Day, John Dorsey, David Anson Lee, Kelly Murashige, Tim Peeler, and Aaron D. Wiegert

Susan Cossette: “Orpheus Leaves Me His Lyre” Holly Day: “Float” John Dorsey: “A Full Head of Hair” David Anson Lee: “The Waiting Room Aquarium” Kelly Murashige: “Hakamairi” Tim Peeler: “Pedagogue” …