Mason, Andrew

David Mason, born December 11, 1954, is an American writer and former Poet Laureate of Colorado. He spent his early life in Washington state before attending Colorado College, where he studied briefly before working as a fisherman in Alaska. He later returned to college to earn his B.A. and subsequently moved to New York, working as a gardener and living in Greece for a period. His career has included teaching stints at various institutions, including Colorado College and Minnesota State University Moorhead, where he was recognized as Minnesota Outstanding Professor of the Year. Mason also spent time in Greece on a Fulbright fellowship. He has been married and divorced twice and currently resides in Colorado with his wife, poet Cally Conan-Davies, though they relocated to Australia in 2018.

Mason's literary output includes poetry collections such as 'The Buried Houses' and 'The Country I Remember,' both award-winners. He has also co-edited significant anthologies and published numerous poems, essays, reviews, translations, stories, and memoirs. His work has appeared in prominent literary journals. A notable work is his historical novel in verse, 'Ludlow,' which explores the 1914 Ludlow Massacre and is connected to his family history through his great-grandfather who operated a company store in the area. Mason also adapted 'Ludlow' into an opera. He served as Colorado Poet Laureate from 2010 to 2014, actively promoting poetry across the state.

Born and raised in Bellingham, Washington, David Mason's educational journey included a brief period at Colorado College. He initially left to work as a fisherman in Alaska before returning to Colorado College to complete his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978. Later, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Rochester under the mentorship of Anthony Hecht, where he earned his doctorate. His early life also involved periods of living and working in different locations, including Rochester, New York, and a significant stay in Kardamyli, Greece, where he developed a friendship with author Patrick Leigh Fermor.

David Mason is recognized for his contributions to poetry and literature. His poetry collections include 'The Buried Houses,' winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize, and 'The Country I Remember,' which received the Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award. He has also co-edited several anthologies and authored a wide range of writings, including essays, reviews, translations, and memoirs. Mason's work has been published in prestigious literary journals such as The New Yorker, Harper's, and The New York Times. He has held advisory editorial positions at The Hudson Review, The Sewanee Review, and Divide. His later collections include 'Sea Salt: Poems of a Decade, 2004–2014,' 'The Sound: new and Selected Poems,' and 'Pacific Light.'

A significant work by David Mason is his historical novel in verse, 'Ludlow,' which chronicles the events of the Ludlow Massacre in Colorado in 1914. Mason's personal connection to this historical event is through his great-grandfather, who ran a company store in Huerfano County, a business that, in Mason's words, 'cheated the miners.' This familial link provides a personal dimension to his exploration of the massacre. He further developed this project by adapting 'Ludlow' into an opera in collaboration with composer Lori Laitman.

From 2010 to 2014, David Mason served as the Poet Laureate of Colorado. In this role, he was expected to make ten public appearances annually across the state. However, Mason expanded upon these duties significantly, aiming to visit all 64 counties to share poetry. This extensive outreach demonstrated his commitment to promoting literary engagement throughout Colorado during his term. The position, while carrying a modest stipend, was approached by Mason with a dedication to broad public service through poetry.

“one of the notorious 'company stores' that cheated the miners near Ludlow”