How do you go from prisoner to public defender to acclaimed poet?

Reginald Wayne Bats will join us to talk about his new collection, Felon.

Who are the song sisters of China and how did their very different lives reflect that

country's 20th century history?

Yong Chang will tell us about her latest book, Big Sister, Little Sister, Red Sister.

Plus, our critics will talk about the latest in literary criticism.

This is the Book Review Podcast for the New York Times.

I'm Pamela Paul.

Reginald Wayne Bats joins us from New Haven.

He is a poet and essayist, national spokesperson for the campaign for youth justice.

His new book is called Felon.

Dwayne, thank you so much for being here.

Oh, it's my pleasure.

I would love for you to start with a poem from this new collection, Felon.

Tell us a little bit about it and then read.

It's called Essie Henri Entry and it's one of those poems that is personal and had me

thinking about the fact that you know you do time in prison and you think you could just

move on with your life and even in society, which typically doesn't, you still have to

talk about your history with people you love.

And in this case, I'm kind of trying to tell my son.

And it's about me thinking about that in the context of, you know, my kid, being five

years old and having to learn this thing that I rather him than have to know it all.

...