The Goth Girl’s Guide to Canadian Poets
Northern Voices for the Darkly Inclined
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Photo Credit: @rupikaur_
Canada is home to soul-splitting poetry composed by a host of talented poets from coast-to-coast.
If you’ve ever wept into your black satin sheets, scribbled in a leather journal by candlelight or whispered a memorable verse to yourself as a compass lost in thought, this guide is for you.
Whether you’re into slow-burning lyricism, sharp-tongued rebellion or grief in a black lace veil, these Canadian poets deliver the goods with gothic flair.
Anne Carson – The Intellectual Oracle
Vibe: Greek tragedy in a clawfoot tub.
Why we love her: Carson isn’t just a poet—she’s an experience. Her work is fragmented, brutal and profoundly beautiful. Perfect for late-night existential spirals.
Start with:Autobiography of Red (a reimagining of the myth of Geryon).
Rupi Kaur – The Cultural Catalyst
Vibe: Flower crowns meet heartbreak and healing.
Why we included her: While Rupi Kaur might not scream “goth,” her work—accessible and emotional—offers a stark contrast that can deepen your appreciation for the dark stuff. She also opened doors for modern poetry’s revival.
Start with:Milk and Honey
Ronna Bloom – The Introspective Whisper
Vibe: Tea-stained grief with a side of gentleness
Why we love her: Bloom writes poems like secret letters to your older self. They’re soft, aching, and grounded in emotional clarity—like therapy with fangs.
Start with: The Riptide, brand new out September 2025
Catherine Owen – The Widow with a Mic
Vibe: Metal lyrics meet mourning rituals
Why we love her: A literal metal musician and poet, Owen's work is drenched in death, decay, and beauty. If you've ever cried in a graveyard or fallen in love at a funeral, she's your girl.
Start with: Designated Mourner
Linda Besner – The Velvet Trickster
Vibe: Surrealism with a smirk
Why we love her: Besner blends cleverness with melancholy in a way that’s entirely her own. Her wordplay feels like casting spells with a pocketknife.
Start with:The Id Kid
Whether you’re enjoying a decadent crepe brunch á Montreal or brooding by a foggy BC coastline, Canada has no shortage of voices that speak your language: longing, rage, reinvention and the weight of memory.
Let these poets haunt you and hold you.
If you know a Canadian poet whose words belong on our altar, please feel welcome to send them our way as we’re always looking for evocative voices to feature.
