Matt Mason

Poet, Spoken Word Artist

Omaha, NE
Nebraska US
Email: 
mtmason@gmail.com
Website: 
matt.midverse.com

Author's Bio

Matt Mason served as the Nebraska State Poet from 2019-2024 and has run poetry workshops in Botswana, Romania, Nepal, and Belarus for the U.S. State Department. His poetry has appeared in The New York Times and Matt has received a Pushcart Prize as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets and the Nebraska Arts Council. His work can be found in Rattle, Poet Lore, Prairie Schooner, and in hundreds of other publications. Mason's 5th book, Rock Stars, was published by Button Poetry in 2023.

Publications & Prizes

Poetry

Anthologies:
The Pushcart Prize XXXVII: Best of the Small Presses (2013 Edition) (Pushcart Press, 2013)
,
Nebraska Presence (Backwaters Press, 2007)
,
The Spoken Word Revolution Redux (Sourcebooks, 2007)
Books:
At the Corner of Fantasy and Main: Disneyland, Midlife and Churros (Old Mill Press, 2022)
,
I Have a Poem the Size of the Moon (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2020)
,
The Baby That Ate Cincinnati (Stephen F. Austin State University Press, 2013)
,
Things We Don't Know We Don't Know (Backwaters Press, 2006)
Chapbooks:
When The Bough Breaks (Lone Willow Press, 2005)
,
Mistranslating Neruda (New Michigan Press, 2002)

Spoken Word

Anthology:
Slamma Lamma Ding Dong: An Anthology of Nebraska's Slam Poets (iUniverse, 2005)
Performances:
House of Music, Kathmandu (2010)
,
Bronx Club in Minsk, Belarus (2008)
,
Omaha Healing Arts Center Poetry Slam (2008)
,
National Poetry Slam, Austin (2007)
,
National Poetry Slam, Albuquerque (2005)
,
National Poetry Slam, Chicago (2003)
,
National Poetry Slam, Minneapolis (2002)
,
The Green Mill, Chicago (2002)
,
Maitisong Festival, Botswana ()
,
National Poetry Slam, Oakland ()
Prizes won: 
  • 2023 Independent Book Publishers Association Silver Award for At the Corner of Fantasy and Main: Disneyland, Midlife and Churros
  • 2022 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship
  • 2021 Nebraska Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship in Literature
  • 2019 named Nebraska State Poet
  • 2019 Grand Marshal for the Florence Days Parade
  • 2019 John G. Neihardt Foundation Word Sender Award
  • 2013 Pushcart Prize for "Notes for my Daughter Against Chasing Storms"
  • 2007 Nebraska Book Award for Poetry
  • 2006 Nebraska Book Award for Anthology
  • Verse Daily Poem of the Day
  • New Words 2002 Poetry Contest award poem
  • April 2002 MobyLives.com “Whale Sighting” poem
  • 2002 Bulkhead, Poetry Competition Honorable Mention Best Poem
  • Literal Latté, 5th Annual Literal Latté Poetry Award Honorable Mention
  • 1999 Plainsongs Award Poem
  • Literal Latté “Rosemary and Rhyme” Food Verse Contest 1st Place
  • 1994 C.T. Wright Award for Poetry from the University of California-Davis and the Academy of American Poets
  • Two-time The Lyric College Contest Honorable Mention

 

Watch

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Keats, Duhamel, Abdurraqib, Frost, Smith (Patricia), and many, many more.

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Scotch-Irish American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Omaha, NE
Nebraska
Raised in: 
Omaha, NE
Nebraska
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Sep 13, 2025