'What is Broken' arrives

A poet wrestles with words and the meaning of life, grumbling in a dark cave, for years. And then, one day, it arrives: a glorious box of books.

'What is Broken Binds Us' has arrived from University of Calgary Press. It is officially released to the world on September 15 (2025). You can preorder from the Press, or your local independent bookstore. Munro's Books here in Victoria has copies on order (and will be selling at my launch event - see below). Or, if you would like a signed copy mailed to you, email or DM me.

Review copies are out with journals, reviewers and bloggers now - and the first mentions are starting to come in. Big thanks to long-term poet friend Peter Christensen, who said very nice things about the book in his regular column in East Kootenay Now. And much appreciation to Vicki Ziegler (Book Gaga) and Kathryn MacDonald for their mentions of the book.

I also had a chance to chat with On Creative Writing about some of my creative processes and influences. You will find that Q & A here.

Many more promo pieces are in the works, including some live radio, video clips and such. Watch my Instagram or BlueSky for updates.

In October, I crawl out of the writer's cave to do real live events, in person, with ... people like you! The Victoria book launch is Tuesday October 7, with Tofino poet Joanna Streetly, and hosted by esteemed poet / editor Yvonne Blomer. Then in late October, I will be partnering with my pal Bruce Hunter (and other fine writers) to do five readings in seven days: Canmore, Calgary (two venues), Red Deer and Edmonton. Full details coming soon.

Thanks to everyone at University of Calgary Press for helping make this happen - and to you for reading.

Sitting with the Breath

Time to sit and breathe. I am honoured that @canadianpoets has chosen my 'Sitting with the Breath' as their final Poetry Pause of 2024. In October 2022, my wife and I were fortunate to be among the first post-pandemic visitors in the tiny Himalayan nation of Bhutan. The country had closed to visitors in 2020 and only re-opened in September 2022. Bhutan invented the concept of ‘gross national happiness’ as an indicator of health. The lives of most Bhutanese are structured around small family farms and Bhuddist practice. We were able to visit a number of monasteries, including the famous Tiger’s Nest high on the cliffs over Paro. The experience that we treasured most was being invited to sit in on the annual, day-long, blessing ritual in a family farmhouse in Phobjikha valley.

Monks from Gangtey monastery performing annual blessings in a family farm home, Gangtey, Bhutan.

The poem ‘Sitting with the Breath’ is rooted in that experience. The poem received Honourable Mention in the Lesley Strutt Poetry Contest through the League of Canadian Poets.

You can read the poem here.

Episodic Tremor & Slip

Check out the amazing 'Schism' special issue of The Ex-Puritan, edited by Puneet Dutt. Puneet has pulled together an impressive collection of fiction, poetry and essays about "people simply trying to make sense of their place in a world that doesn’t feel settled." I'm honoured to have poems included alongside the powerful work of poets like Jose Hernandez Diaz, Jane Zwart, Amorak Huey and Salma Hussain.

'Episodic Tremor & Slip' is a sequence of poems about a winding, many-years-long parental journey. The 5 poems published in The Ex-Puritan are from a 13-poem sequence in my forthcoming book. Another poem from the sequence will be published in an upcoming issue of The Fiddlehead.