Books
- A Poor Photographer. Victoria: Sono Nis Press, 1981.
- Hidden Structure. Victoria: Ekstasis Editions, 1984.
- West of Darkness: a portrait of Emily Carr. Kapuskasing: Penumbra Press, 1987.
- Great Men. Kingston: Quarry Press, 1990.
- Notes toward a Family Tree. Kingston: Quarry Press, 1993.
- Designs from the Interior. Toronto: House of Anansi, 1994.
- Sweet Ellipsis. Toronto: ECW, 1998.
- West of Darkness: Emily Carr, a self-portrait. 2nd Rev. Ed., Vancouver: Beach Holme, 1999.
- Hypothesis. Toronto: House of Anansi Press, 2001.
Chapbooks
- Destinations, Leaving the Map. Maxville, Ont.: above/ground press, 1995.
- Oxygen. Maxville, Ont.: above/ground press, 1999.
- Shroud. Ottawa: Viola Leaflets, 1999.
- Runoff. Ottawa: Viola Leaflets, 2003.
Editor
- Silences. Toronto: League of Canadian Poets, 1994.
- Belles Lettres. Toronto: League of Canadian Poets, 1995.
- We All Begin in a Little Magazine: Arc and the Promise of Canada's Poets. Ottawa: Arc Poetry
- Society/Carleton University Press, 1998.
John Barton's works copyright © to the author.