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Felon: Poems
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
12 posts | 13 read | 29 to read
Felon tells the story of the effects of incarceration in fierce, dazzling poems--canvassing a wide range of emotions and experiences through homelessness, underemployment, love, drug abuse, domestic violence, fatherhood, and grace--and, in doing so, creates a travelogue for an imagined life. Reginald Dwayne Betts confronts the funk of postincarceration existence and examines prison not as a static space, but as a force that enacts pressure throughout a person's life.The poems move between traditional and newfound forms with power and agility--from revolutionary found poems created by redacting court documents to the astonishing crown of sonnets that serves as the volume's radiant conclusion. Drawing inspiration from lawsuits filed on behalf of the incarcerated, the redaction poems focus on the ways we exploit and erase the poor and imprisoned from public consciousness. Traditionally, redaction erases what is top secret; in Felon, Betts redacts what is superfluous, bringing into focus the profound failures of the criminal justice system and the inadequacy of the labels it generates.Challenging the complexities of language, Betts animates what it means to be a "felon."
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review
Bookwormjillk
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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This was a challenging read for me. Betts was 16 years old when he was tried as an adult and sent to prison. His poetry focuses on prison reform, life after prison, and unfair bail practices. I thought his redacted poems (pictured above) were really well done. The challenging part for me was when I read that his crime was a carjacking at the mall where I take my kids. Such an important book that gave me so much to think about.

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ChaoticMissAdventures
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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#JuneteenthRead A slim but thought provoking truth to power book

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lilybree
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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Wow. Powerful. Amazing way to tell a story.

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Nute
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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There are many places to follow-up with a few words on a poetry book that addresses the effects of incarceration. I feel that the areas of loss fatherhood and the benevolent action of grace resonated the most with me. I didn‘t need to know more about the causes - poor education, diminished self-esteem, destroyed self-worth, broken hope, unemployment, barely making it work wages, not making it work wages, domestic violence,👇🏽

Nute systemic racism and the shackling hold of drug abuse. It was more the examination of can a life re-enter with some dignity if truly reformed and repented that gave insight and cause for reflection. When warranted are there honest second chances? How does a life convicted and powerless rise again to be somebody in the looking glass and the eyes of their folks and the inspection of other people? Oh, we do inspect and scrutinize and judge!👇🏽 (edited) 4y
Nute Does time displaced allow for reconnection? Can a father be a Dad again? I was right before...it is sad and it mirrors brokenness. But it also illuminates a deep beauty, an ever present hope - there is mending, healing and the grace of forgiveness of self, others, facts and circumstances and the “transformative power of love.”
Highly recommended!
#PoetryMatters
(edited) 4y
staci.reads It sounds amazing! 4y
See All 17 Comments
PurpleyPumpkin Fantastic review!👍🏽 4y
Megabooks Great review!! 4y
ChaoticMissAdventures Adding it to my list. So much work to do to stop incarceration. I am so glad we are getting more media from formerly incarcerated people. From podcasts to Tik Tok and of course books. 4y
TrishB Great review. ❤️ 4y
Palimpsest Wonderful review. 4y
LaraS “Does time displaced allow for reconnection? Can a father be a Dad again?“ Well said, beautiful review ❤️ 💔 4y
RegineReads I need a poetry book to delve into and your review is absolutely enthralling alone💕 (do you write? Your words dance, truly) so I'm definitely adding to my stacks. 4y
Nute @staci.reads I just read this book again today, and I cannot tell you, Ms. Staci, the precise number of times that it has caused me to stare out into space and contemplate what is typed on the page and then what is unwritten between the lines. The power of this book...you said the right word...amazing! 3y
Nute @ChaoticMissAdventures Yes! Change is always going to require exposure to truth (especially the truth of unfairness, inconsistencies, harsh realities, biases and racism)which then propels action. This slim book of poetry is an important and timely narrative. I hope that you get an opportunity to read it and that maybe we can catch up afterward. 3y
Nute @LaraS The aspect of lost fatherhood or altered fatherhood was so heavy and impactful in this book. Thank you for your kind words!💕 3y
staci.reads Well ok then, I just ordered it. I can't wait to read it and then share with others. I love this site and the books I have been exposed to because of it ❤ 3y
Nute @staci.reads You just made my heart skip a beat. I wish that I could call you on the phone or write you a letter. I hope that it reaches you and touches you and imprints upon you in the way that it did me. And then I hope that we get to talk about it!😊 Oh, I agree...Litsy is an incredible place for book lovers! 3y
Nute @RegineReads Your comment sailed into my heart and planted flowers! What a lovely compliment. I thank you! There are so many really good books of poetry right now. Isn‘t it wonderful that such a widespread of voices are getting published and finding an audience? I will be excited to hear about where you land and what your thought are. Oh, thanks for the info to the website for the bookmarks. Tons of fun shopping with them!😊 3y
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blurb
Nute
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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Why do we read literature? Why do we read poetry? Possibly to experience another reality. Possibly for a moment of escapism. Possibly to get the gist of another person‘s narrative. Possibly to understand all living on some base level. But maybe...maybe, to get at some internal deficiency within ourselves.👇🏽

Nute These words shed light on the heart-level difference, on the feel-it-on-my-tongue (I‘m just talking) versus feel-it-in-my-blood (I‘m not the same without it) difference between WANTING a thing and LONGING for a thing. The longing for a parent...there are no words.
#PoetryMatters
4y
PurpleyPumpkin Beautifully said. 💜 4y
Come-read-with-me Beautiful as always. 4y
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LaraS 💙 4y
TheSpineView 😍😍😍 4y
Nute @PurpleyPumpkin Thank you! How have you been, Kimberly? 4y
Nute @Come-read-with-me Thank you! Happy Sunday, Ms. Paula!💕 4y
Nute @LaraS Hugs, Ms. Lara!💕 4y
Nute @TheSpineView Thanks for always promoting poetry, Ms. Lisa! We are kindred spirits!💕 4y
TheSpineView @Nute 😘👍📖 4y
Come-read-with-me @Nute Hope you have a lovely week! 4y
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blurb
Nute
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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Saturday. Spent some time in the bookstore. Wandered for hours. No magnetic pull. Deciding to leave empty-handed, but maybe just one more glance at the poetry table. One last copy of this book. A closer look at the cover. A mental note of the title. A quick conclusion, Today, I am not sad, and I don‘t want to be sad.👇🏽

Nute This looks like brokenness and sorrow. But every narrative deserves an audience. Every pain deserves a healing.
This is waiting on my pillow for nighttime reading.
4y
Freespirit What a lovely post 💕 4y
alisiakae Beautiful post 💜 4y
See All 9 Comments
Megabooks 💕💕 4y
MemoirsForMe 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 4y
Nute @Freespirit Thank you, Ms. Sally!💕 4y
Nute @4thhouseontheleft Thank you, Ms. Alisia!💕 4y
Nute @Megabooks A ton of heart emotion flowing right back at you, Ms. Meg!💕 4y
Nute @UwannaPublishme Thank you, Ms. Donna!💕 4y
102 likes4 stack adds9 comments
blurb
brandierickson
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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At my parents‘ and stealing this book to read while I‘m here.

review
TiminCalifornia
Felon | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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Pickpick

Be sure to read the Acknowledgments at the end when you read this.

Books like these should be part of law enforcement training curriculum. I say this as the spouse of a law enforcement officer, from whom I have heard many stories of the difficulties, failures, and the successes (there are some) of the U.S. incarceration system.

#blacklivesmatter
#civilrightscorps

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quote
TiminCalifornia
Felon | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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These poems by Reginald Dwayne Betts really make me catch my breath.

#blacklivesmatter
#civilrightscorps

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megnews
Felon | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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As with most collections of poetry I read, there are some I don‘t understand as well as others. There are some that are ok and some that are just wow. Felon is no different and well worth the read to find the nuggets of insight, truth, and depth. Recommend.

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rsteve388
Felon | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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These poems were, I think written for a different audience then myself. But these poems had heart and deep emotional pain that was experienced at the hands of incarceration. They explored various topics that relate to being locked up, these poems should be studied and listened to by people wanting to hear the voices of thoes who have been victims of the criminal justice system.

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ReadingEnvy
Felon: Poems | Reginald Dwayne Betts
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These poems tell the truth about how prison changes you, how it never leaves you, and what relationships are like afterward, particularly if you are also black and recently incarcerated. It is its own form of PTSD.

Bookwormjillk Thanks for reviewing. Just stacked. 5y
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