Billy-Ray Belcourt on winning the $65,000 Griffin Poetry Prize

Originally published on June 8, 2018

Last night, the Griffin Poetry Prize — one of Canada's most prestigious literary awards — was given out. Every year, the prize goes to one Canadian and one international poet, who are each awarded $65,000, in addition to a much wider audience for their poetry. 

Billy-Ray Belcourt is a young poet from Driftpile Cree Nation in Alberta. He won for his poetry collection This Wound is a World. Today, he joined Tom Power live in the q studio to talk about his big win. 

Throughout the week, we invited each of the three Griffin Poetry Prize finalists to read a poem from their collection. Listen to them read those poems below.

Billy-Ray Belcourt, Ode to Northern Alberta from This Wound is a World (Frontenac House)

Aisha Sasha John, Regardless from I have to live. (McClelland & Stewart)

Donato Mancini, Untitled from Same Diff (Talonbooks)

— Produced by Vanessa Greco

Click the listen link above to hear the full interview with Griffin Poetry Prize winner Billy-Ray Belcourt.