Greetings from Dawson City

March 2026 Poetry Update

Hi Friends,

As I announced last summer, I’ve been chosen as one of the 2026 Writers in Residence at the historic Berton House in Dawson City, Yukon. I arrived on Monday, and am now officially a Writer in Residence. Here’s me, Writing Residentially:

And here’s me posing outside at 40 below:

My wife and kids have joined me for the residence as well, making it extra fun. Here’s us with some treasures from Dawson’s legendary thrift store:

My wife, Kat, being very talented, and recognizing my general incompetence, has taken over my Instagram for the trip to make it Functional. If you’ve given up on following me on Instagram, it’s now Happening, and you should give it another go. Follow me there jessekeithbutler. You can see all the fun adventures.

Quite providentially, a few days after we arrived in the north I received my copy of this beautiful anthology about ice, edited by the delightful Yvonne Blomer. Here’s my poem “Endurance” from the anthology.

It’s a big anthology with an excellent cross-section of Canadian poets, and I recommend picking it up.

While I’m sharing new poems, I also have one in the March issue of Lighten Up Online. It’s called “No Stone Unturned” and it’s one of the sillier poems I’ve ever published. Here’s the first stanza:

I knew the love we had
Would never be like other loves
I knew my odds were bad
I knew I had to drop the gloves
Across each bridge I’d burned
I hauled the horse, I shoved the cart
Now I’ve left no stone unturned
Except your heart

Read the rest here.

The Yukon is freezing cold, but it’s also very welcoming. Within a few days of my arrival I had a radio interview with CBC Yukon to discuss my residency. You can listen to it here.

And here’s a picture of my book on display at the Dawson Public Library:

There’s lots going on, and I’m sure I’ll write again soon. For now, this is Jesse signing off from Dawson City, and wishing you all to stay warm.