The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Nebraska poet Matt Mason won national attention for his poem “The Start,” which appeared in the New York Times. He drafted the poem three years ago when he wasn’t comfortable with the political climate, later realizing the poem’s relevance last month as an angry mob swept the Capitol. The phrase “probably started” conveys that small remarks or acts of hatred can lead to violent behavior.

“It’s seemed like we were going more and more with the (hateful) language and never hitting the point of saying, ‘This is too far,’” he told the Lincoln Journal Star. “And if that point never gets hit, the violence is inevitable.”

It probably started
in a whisper, a murmur,
a low tone hardly caught by the papers,
a sticker, a poster,
a brick wall with slogans in fresh black paint

Mason hopes to challenge people’s perception of the partisan environment. As state Poet Laureate, he has organized poetry events in every county.