Anchored by her belief that she would always be a writer, Sarah Mason’s life proves to be as layered as her poetry.
Having grown up in New Mexico, Mason’s first introduction to poetry came on a coffeehouse stage in Albuquerque, where she witnessed her first poetry slam, which she admits “was a kind of metaphorical gateway drug.” From that moment, she pursued degrees in creative writing and poetry, ultimately earning her Master of Arts at UNO. Although she didn’t achieve full-time teaching status until 2020, today she runs courses in Autobiographical Reading and Writing, Composition I, and U.S. Cultures in Literature.
While Mason is no stranger to accolades, with multiple anthologies, journals, and publications to her name, this year she was nominated for Nebraska State Poet—an honor she deeply appreciates. She notes, “What was really special about the process was that the person who nominated me sent me the letters of recommendation, one of which was written by one of my first UNO students, whom I taught in my Poetry Form and Theory class.” She adds, “It was the second class I ever taught, and I was terrified the whole time. So, it was a beautiful, full-circle moment to see myself as a teacher through a student’s eyes and realize the impact I made on him and in that classroom.”
Currently, Mason is working on her third full-length collection of poems, which she describes as “the most raw and vulnerable work I’ve written to date.” She compares the writing process to a breakup, one in which you say you’ll leave but end up running back. While drafting, she’s also planning a trip to a writing retreat with friends and balancing her responsibilities as an educator and mother.
When asked for advice she would offer to upcoming writers, she quoted prolific artists but concluded by saying, “Whoever you are, wherever you are, lean into it because that’s your true superpower: no one can be you or write about your own experiences better than you can.”
