Natural Capital is 'the untapped raw material and natural resources that a country holds' and it is 'the land, air, water, living organisms and all formations of the Earth's biosphere that provides us with ecosystem goods and services imperative for survival and well-being' and it is 'the basis for all human economic activity' Ñ and it is the title of Jason Heroux's third collection of poems. These poems invite us to visit the strange and beautiful world right outside our window, a world where 'clouds drift overhead / like eighty-year-old ballerinas crossing the street' and 'wind chimes resemble a gentle alarm / warning everyone that nothing is wrong.'

Jason Heroux is the author of four books of poetry: Memoirs of an Alias (2004); Emergency Hallelujah (2008); Natural Capital (2012) and Hard Work Cheering Up Sad Machines (2016). He is also the author of three novels: Good Evening, Central Laundromat (2010); We Wish You a Happy Killday (2014) and Amusement Park of Constant Sorrow (2018).Born in Montreal, Jason came to Kingston in 1990 to attend Queen's University and has lived there ever since. Translated into French, Italian, and Arabic, his poetry has been featured in several anthologies, including Breathing Fire 2: Canada's New Poets, and Best Canadian Poetry in English 2008, 2011 and 2016, and has appeared in magazines and journals in Canada, the U.S, Belgium, France, and Italy. Jason holds a BA degree from Queen's University, and was a finalist for the 2018 ReLit Novel Award. He works at ServiceOntario, and lives with his wife Soheir, and their three cats, Akira, Pablo, and Neruda. He was the Poet Laureate for the City of Kingston from 2019 to 2022.

Jason Heroux's profile page