Felontellsthestoryoftheeffectsofincarcerationinfierce,dazzlingpoems--canvassingawiderangeofemotionsandexperiencesthroughhomelessness,underemployment,love,drugabuse,domesticviolence,fatherhood,andgrace--and,indoingso,createsatravelogueforanimaginedlife.ReginaldDwayneBettsconfrontsthefunkofpostincarcerationexistenceandexaminesprisonnotasastaticspace,butasaforcethatenactspressurethroughoutaperson’slife.Thepoemsmovebetweentraditionalandnewfoundformswithpowerandagility--fromrevolutionaryfoundpoemscreatedbyredactingcourtdocumentstotheastonishingcrownofsonnetsthatservesasthevolume’sradiantconclusion.Drawinginspirationfromlawsuitsfiledonbehalfoftheincarcerated,theredactionpoemsfocusonthewaysweexploitanderasethepoorandimprisonedfrompublicconsciousness.Traditionally,redactioneraseswhatistopsecret;inFelon,Bettsredactswhatissuperfluous,bringingintofocustheprofoundfailuresofthecriminaljusticesystemandtheinadequacyofthelabelsitgenerates.Challengingthecomplexitiesoflanguage,Bettsanimateswhatitmeanstobea“felon.“
