Prof. David Mason named Colorado’s poet laureate

Colorado College Professor of English David Mason is Colorado’s new poet laureate, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter announced at the state capitol on July 1. Mason co-directs CC’s creative writing program. His poetry books include “The Buried Houses,” winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize; “The Country I Remember,” winner of the Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award; and “Arrivals.” Mason’s verse novel, “Ludlow,” won the Colorado Book Award and was featured on the PBS News Hour. The Contemporary Poetry Review and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum named “Ludlow” the best poetry book of 2007. Author of a collection of essays, “The Poetry of Life and the Life of Poetry,” Mason has also co-edited several textbooks and anthologies, including “Western Wind: An Introduction to Poetry”; “Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism”; “Twentieth Century American Poetry”; and “Twentieth Century American Poetics: Poets on the Art of Poetry.” His next collection of essays, “Two Minds of a Western Poet,” will be published in 2011. Mason will serve as an advocate for poetry, literacy and literature at 10-12 events each year, including presenting the opening poem for the legislative session, visiting local schools, participating in Arts & Humanities Month, and reading at literary festivals. Colorado was the second state in the nation to appoint a poet laureate. Alice Polk Hill was appointed in 1919 and served until she died in 1921. Nellie Burget Miller served 1923-1952; Margaret Clyde Robertson served 1952-1954; Milford E. Shields served 1954-1975; and Thomas Hornsby Ferril served 1979-1988. Mary Crow has served 14 years, from 1996-2010.

Update 7/2/10:

Hear Mason’s reading of his poem “The Picket Wire” at Gov. Bill Ritter’s ceremony announcing the new Colorado Poet Laureate.

Update 7/6/10:

Listen to a Colorado Public Radio interview with David Mason.