David Mason, former poet laureate of Colorado, is the author of numerous books, including Cold Fire (Red Hen, 2026), The Sound: New and Selected Poems, Ludlow: A Verse Novel, and The Country I Remember, winner of the Alice Fay Di Castagnola Award. Born in Bellingham, Washington, he earned a PhD from the University of Rochester. He lives in Tasmania, the island state of Australia.


Photograph by Chrissy Mason.

Lieutenant Mason

by David Mason

You have to stuff it all back in,
the gut from a nicked
peritoneum.

That’s what the surgeon’s skill
was born to do.
To put it all back in
and close the wound.
People on couch
To continue reading please sign in.
Join for free
Already a reader? Sign In