This ‘Essay on Reentry’ charts life after prison: and the way that others keep your sentence alive even when you’re wishing to just get on with your own life. It’s about secrets and choice and disclosure. And in the midst of all this, there is also love between a son and his dad, a son like a “straggling angel, / lost from his pack finding a way to fulfill his / duty.”Reginald Dwayne Betts is the author of a memoir and three books of poetry. His memoir, A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison, was awarded the 2010 NAACP Image Award for non-fiction. His books of poetry are Shahid Reads His Own Palm, Bastards of the Reagan Era, and Felon. He is a graduate of Prince George’s Community College, the University of Maryland, the MFA Program at Warren Wilson College, and is currently a PhD student at Yale Law School.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.

Reginald Dwayne Betts, a MacArthur Fellow and founder of Freedom Reads, shares his inspiring journey from an eight-year prison sentence to becoming a celebrated poet and Yale Law graduate. He discusses the vital role that prison libraries play in fostering hope and community among inmates. Betts highlights how literature can transform lives and emphasizes the importance of educational programs and mentorship in rehabilitation. He dives into the complexities of survivor's guilt and reflects on the mental health challenges faced by those reintegrating into society.

Reginald Dwayne Betts, poet, lawyer, and founder of Freedom Reads, discusses his journey from prison to becoming a writer. He reflects on the power of poetry to understand and write about the world, and how writing became a lifeline. Betts explores new writing styles, including a piece on guns and the connection between mass shooters and incarcerated individuals. He also delves into the complexity and fear of writing about guns and shares his personal story about Kamala Harris and his mother's rape. Betts explores the concept of being 'almost there' after prison and how it affects claiming success.