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As It Ought To Be Magazine

As It Ought To Be is an online literary magazine featuring poetry, literary reviews, and interviews from seasoned writers and emerging voices.

31/03/2026

AIOTB's March Poetry Edition is live, featuring new work by Barbara Berg, Susan Cossette, Ken Gierke, Bill Griffin, Rocío Iglesias McKenzie, Daniel Edward Moore, Alan Perry, and Donald Sellitti

Barbara Berg: “To change the shape of wood, you must understand its properties” Susan Cossette: “The Agreement” Ken Gierke: “Dulcet Tones Do Not Lessen the Impact” Bill Griffin: “Spoonfuls” Rocío I…

30/03/2026

New poetry by Rose Mary Boehm on AIOTB!

Dead machinesAt night, in the headlights,we see it at the entranceto the dump, slightly off centre:the washing machine,gleaming white in the dark,invested with importance.We pray that it may grant …

26/03/2026

"Because home is movable and you are the proof."

New poetry by Aarik Danielsen on AIOTB!

South 190th Street, OmahaDo you remember the way we grew up? You,somewhere in Washington, me somewhere else in Arizona. Bothknowing youth rooms where freshly-scrubbed seminary gradswith guitar stra…

20/03/2026

The air loosens, the mosquito withdraws,
and I allow it to be another needle.

New poetry by Jade Kleiner on AIOTB!

Blood Draw at MGHThe curtain has an orchid waxing gibbous stain,a quarter inch grape jelly moon giving to off-beige fabric.The cloth spreads itself, completing the three walls.My throat words my bi…

15/03/2026

Has anyone ever called the river
a ringworm when the air runs wetter
than normal, or has every proper
nickname been taken.

New poetry by Jeremy Nathan Marks!

CattywampusI scratch my skin and catchthe trunk of a hair with my fingernailthat is thicker and darker than the others,a hair which, when I try and pull it out,wriggles and writhes like a crawlerin…

13/03/2026

New poetry by Samuel Prestridge on AIOTB!

Drab Horses (America, 1958)Before my cereal lost its crunch,I’d have the TV on and turnedto cowboy shows. A motley bunchof bad guys riding round the bendtoward some shenanigans, a raceto no …

12/03/2026

"he pictures the fronds of scarlet bracken
rising like flames in an artist’s
illustration of hell,"

New poetry by Anna Saunders on AIOTB!

One whistle to go after.The man has waysof communicating with his animal -different whistles; one to send it out,one to bring back the prize. When the man takes his doginto a café, women cluckand c…

04/03/2026

New poetry by Savannah Williams on AIOTB!

CellThe death of that day became a calling cardto look through a blue mason jar, filled with water,and try to find god. Imagine the microscopic life—floating protozoa, like ghost sperm,fertilizing …

27/02/2026

Our February Poetry Edition is now live! Check out fresh new poetry by Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal, Rose Mary Boehm, Aarik Danielsen, Jade Kleiner, Jeremy Nathan Marks, Samuel Prestridge, Anna Saunders and Savannah Williams.

Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal: “Do Not Be Afraid” Rose Mary Boehm: “Dead machines” Aarik Danielsen: “South 190th Street, Omaha” Jade Kleiner: “Blood Draw at MGH” Jeremy Nathan Marks: “Cattywampus” Sa…

23/02/2026

"I believed in Sherlock Holmes; my father believed in God."

New poetry by Dudley Stone on AIOTB!

Bad RoommatesIt’s just as well that when I met Mister Sherlock Holmeshe already shared lodgings with stolid Watson in Baker Street.We would not have got on. I could bear the violin, pipe,and chemic…

20/02/2026

all the fallen leaves
are sitting on the verge of
panic, and it feels

like there’s thunder just
below the floorboards and cracks

New poetry by Jason Ryberg on AIOTB!

Garden of GuiltThe old rocking chairon the porch is moving witha ghost of wind andall the fallen leavesare sitting on the verge ofpanic, and it feelslike there’s thunder justbelow the floorboards a…

16/02/2026

New poetry on AIOTB by Garth Pavell!

Cascade LoopThe sky looks high, you said as our car circledthe bloodshot dawn smoking on the mountains.We didn’t stop until we reached the iced coffeeat a female-run gas station in a valley of appl…

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