Nebraska's former state poet led a community writing workshop inspired by The American Revolution and invited participants to connect history with their own lives.
Poetry is one of the original forms of storytelling. For Nebraska poet Matt Mason, that belief shaped a workshop at the La Vista Public Library inspired by The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt.
The workshop was part of Nebraska Public Media’s community engagement project that is tied to the popular PBS documentary series. Events across the state invited participants to connect themes from the American Revolution to their families, communities and personal experiences.
Librarian Cedate Schulz invited Mason to be the resident artist and instructor, using the What’s Your American Story theme as a jumping off point. “The idea was a perfect tie to both America 250 and the documentary,” she said.
Mason, Nebraska’s state poet from 2019 to 2024, led workshops with support from Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Arts Council.
“Poetry is about telling stories,” Mason said. “It’s about processing what we’re feeling when we don’t yet have words for it. I love seeing something that’s just unexpected and original.”
Born and raised in Omaha, Mason studied creative writing in California before returning to Nebraska, where he built a career creating literary opportunities. He’s published five books, taught internationally and traveled to all 93 Nebraska counties.
“I really liked the opportunity to take a series like The American Revolution and try to build a workshop series around it,” he said, explaining the connection felt natural after watching the film’s opening episode, which blends 1700s poetry with historical storytelling.
What surprised him most was the direction participants took with their writing and how some integrated dissatisfaction with rules and regulations, a theme of the American Revolution. “It ended up being more political than I anticipated,” he said.
Participants wrote about ancestry, immigration, music and hopes for change. Some are staying connected even though the workshop has ended. “Matt provided not only wonderful writing prompts but also helped to facilitate an atmosphere of safety and zero judgement,” Schulz said.