About Breadcrumb Scabs
Our Story
Breadcrumb Scabs emerged from a simple frustration: too much contemporary poetry felt polished to the point of sterility. We believed poetry needed space for the messy, the uncomfortable, the beautifully flawed aspects of human experience that conventional literary magazines often smoothed over.
Our name itself reflects this philosophy. Breadcrumbs suggest both the trail we follow through difficult terrain and the small sustenance that keeps us going. Scabs represent wounds that are healing but haven't healed - that tender, vulnerable state where we're neither fully broken nor fully whole. Together, they capture the essence of confessional poetry: following the trail of our wounds, finding meaning in the healing process itself.
Our Editorial Philosophy
We publish poetry that makes us feel something - even when that feeling is discomfort. The best confessional poetry doesn't shy away from nausea, grief, desire, shame, or rage. It meets these emotions head-on with precise language and unflinching honesty.
According to the Poets & Writers organization, confessional poetry revolutionized American literature by insisting that personal experience and raw emotion had literary value. We continue that tradition while pushing it forward into new territories of identity, sexuality, and contemporary life.
Commitment to Diverse Voices
While we welcome submissions from all poets, we particularly champion work by queer poets and women writers whose voices have historically been marginalized in literary publishing. We believe the most honest poetry often comes from those whose experiences challenge mainstream narratives.
Our commitment extends beyond mere representation. We actively seek work that explores the intersections of identity, desire, power, and vulnerability in ways that resist easy categorization or comfortable consumption.
Accessibility & Community
Poetry should not be locked behind paywalls or confined to academic institutions. Every issue of Breadcrumb Scabs is available as a free digital download, with affordable print editions for readers who prefer physical books. We maintain transparent submission processes with rapid response times, treating poets with the respect their craft deserves.
Our Aesthetic
We favor poetry that:
- Chooses specificity over abstraction
- Embraces unflattering imagery and pessimistic perspectives when honest
- Combines sentimentality with grittiness
- Uses visceral, embodied language
- Takes risks with form, voice, and content
- Reveals rather than conceals emotional complexity
We are drawn to love poetry that acknowledges love's cruelty, nature poetry that sees decay alongside growth, and political poetry that recognizes complicity. We publish work that trusts readers to handle ambiguity and discomfort.
Looking Forward
As we continue publishing monthly issues, we remain committed to discovering new voices and supporting established poets who share our vision of unflinching literary honesty. The human condition is messy, complicated, and often painful - and we believe poetry must be brave enough to reflect that reality.
Thank you for being part of our literary community. Together, we're creating space for poetry that refuses to look away.