Pierre Labrie
A poet who distills the raw, intimate textures of everyday life in Quebec into verses that are both stark and deeply resonant.
Born 1972 (age 54)·Québécois poet·Birthday: April 23·Generation X
Biography
Pierre Labrie operates in the rich soil of Québécois poetry, crafting work that feels simultaneously grounded and luminous. Born in Mont-Joli and long settled in Trois-Rivières, his writing draws from the landscapes and emotional climates of his home region. Labrie's poetry often turns a sharp, observant eye on the ordinary—objects, moments, silences—infusing them with a quiet, metaphysical weight. His voice is distinct in contemporary French-Canadian letters for its lack of pretension and its focus on the essential. Through numerous published collections, he has built a body of work that speaks to a specific sense of place while exploring universal themes of memory, absence, and the passage of time, securing his place as a vital, clear-eyed chronicler of the human condition.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Pierre was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pierre Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Pierre's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Has published over a dozen poetry collections, contributing significantly to contemporary Québécois literature.
- His work has been recognized with literary prizes such as the Prix Alphonse-Piché.
- Serves as a mentor and influential figure in the literary community of Trois-Rivières, a UNESCO City of Literature.
Did You Know?
He is a trained librarian, a profession that deeply influences his relationship with language and texts.
Labrie is known for his collaborative projects, sometimes working with visual artists and musicians.
He has been a finalist for the Governor General's Award for French-language poetry.
“The river writes its own name on the stones.”
