Trauma...? Won't that be traumatic?

The Aftershock Review is a poetry magazine committed to showcasing exceptional work that grapples with trauma in its many forms. But this isn’t about catharsis—it’s about great poetry.

We believe that poems about trauma don’t have to be traumatic. They can be nuanced, tender, sharp, or even playful. Above all, they should push the boundaries of language and form, showing us what poetry can do.

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Our mission is to become a leading publication for poetry that examines the aftershocks of lived experience with precision, imagination, and artistic integrity. We look for work that challenges the narrative of trauma as simply pain and explores it as a complex force that shapes, complicates, and enriches human life.

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The Aftershock Review is for readers who believe that poetry has the power to transform how we see the world—and ourselves.