Billy-Ray Belcourt — Subarctica

About this episode

Billy-Ray Belcourt’s poem 'Subarctica' explores themes of memory and perspective against a backdrop of winter imagery.

Will you leave this episode feeling uplifted, envious, curious, or something else entirely? Yes. Billy-Ray Belcourt’s poem “Subarctica” transports you to a vividly specific time — “the coldest December / on record, I haven’t left my mother’s / house in over a week” — where the primary view is of poplars in “a tiny schoolyard”. Amid the simplicity and snow, the speaker shifts their perspective, seeing beyond their past and towards the wonder in their present and in what is to come. We invite you to subscribe to Pádraig’s weekly Poetry Unbound Substack, read the Poetry Unbound books and his newest work, Kitchen Hymns, or listen to all our Poetry Unbound episodes.

People in this episode

Guest: Billy-Ray Belcourt

Topics covered

• poetry
• perspective
• memory
• nature

Keywords

• uplifted
• curious
• wonder
• present

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Kitchen Hymns

Books & works: Subarctica, Poetry Unbound Substack, Poetry Unbound, Kitchen Hymns

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