#28 - Words Can Destroy You, or Save You | Huguette Bourgeois

Huguette Bourgeois is a poet and writer from the small Canadian town of Rogersville, New Brunswick, where she grew up during the early 1950s. Known for her deeply reflective and profoundly personal style, she has published multiple works, including Alysse: An Acadian Refugee, a collection of short stories capturing the memories of her childhood and teenage years. Her recent work, Raw Sweets, is a collection of poems exploring life’s harshness, beauty, and unfiltered truths. In this deeply personal conversation, Huguette shares the profound impact poetry and language have had on her life—guiding her through moments of intense personal tragedy, including her son’s diagnosis with schizophrenia, and leading her toward self-discovery and authenticity. She reflects openly on her complex relationship with faith, spirituality, and the existential questions that arise from hardship, ultimately suggesting there may be dignity in living—and dying—with uncertainty. Throughout the episode, Huguette reveals how embracing life’s darkness, doubt, and solitude can become a source of strength, creativity, and profound human insight. Thank you for listening. EPISODE LINKS: Buy Huguette Bourgeois' Raw Sweets Buy Huguette Bourgeois' Alysse: An Acadian Refugee Buy Huguette Bourgeois' Le bleu de Mon Ile (French)   Buy Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Buy Dostoyevsky' The Brothers Karamazov   By using these links, we earn commission from qualifying purchases.   SHOW LINKS: Support the Show   Watch on YouTube Listen on Apple Podcast Listen on Spotify   Follow on X Follow on Instagram Follow on LinkedIn   OUTLINE: 00:00 Introduction 01:45 What is Poetry? 09:10 Stories of Writing Poetry 19:37 Poetry as a Path to Spirituality & Meaning 23:54 Finding Your Voice 35:27 The Dark Side of Agreeableness 43:50 The Importance of Asking Questions 48:56 Authenticity & Identity 56:21 Echoes of Rejection & Love in Childhood 01:03:54 Love, Loss, and Happiness 01:08:32 Youngest Son’s Schizophrenia Diagnosis 01:17:03 Believing in God 01:33:52 The Danger of Blind Faith 01:44:06 Does Poetry Find the Poet, or Vice Versa? 01:48:06 The Endless Possibilities of Words 01:55:22 Can Words Fully Capture The Human Experience? 02:02:34 Fiction, Dragons, and The Human Experience 02:09:52 Closing Thoughts 02:15:17 Outro   CONTACT LINKS: Click here to come on the podcast, share feedback, ask a question, or reach out for any other reason.