Dear Readers, 

Building The Scratch Post from the ground up has been a deeply rewarding journey, and we couldn’t be more proud of the outcome. As with most creative endeavors, this publication began with an idea: we wanted to celebrate creativity across the University of Kentucky’s campus. With more than 20,000 undergraduate students, UK is home to an abundance of creatives. The Scratch Post aims to celebrate these emerging writers and artists by honoring them with a place to showcase their work, not only to be seen but to be appreciated and remembered. 

The process of bringing this first issue to life has been a year-long endeavor and one that we hope continues for many years to come. The literature and artworks included in this inaugural issue showcase the present-day creativity UK has to offer, while also giving us insight into our contemporary moment and providing a record for current and future generations. 

In this publication, you’ll find poetry that stirs, prose that lingers, and artwork that inspires. It is the culmination of a bright-minded team, many hours poring over submissions, and an unwavering commitment to something larger than ourselves. Embrace the passions of our student body through illuminating images, hideous horrors, and perplexing poetry. We hope you will view these pieces of literature and art not just as forms of expression, but also as bridges that connect us. 

It is our great honor to introduce the inaugural issue of The Scratch Post. May this be the first of many issues to come. 

With gratitude, 

MacKenzie Blaylock and Abigail Wright