The Spire

George Caldwell ‘24

News Editor

On Monday, February 26, the College of the Holy Cross invited acclaimed poet Reginald Dwayne Betts to the Prior Performing Arts Center to speak on his life and work. The College sent out an email reading, “Arrested at age sixteen, Betts served eight years in an adult prison, coming of age behind bars. His personal experience with incarceration has shaped his lifelong advocacy at the intersection of art and social justice for reform of the criminal justice system.” A native of Maryland, Betts has taken on many many roles in his life. In 2012, President Obama appointed him as a member of the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Betts has also gained numerous accolades, with a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2018 and a MacArthur Fellowship in 2021. Reginald Dwayne Betts’ story is certainly inspiring, as he has gone from incarceration to graduating from Yale Law School and writing acclaimed works of poetry. Perhaps the most admirable action of Betts is his foundation “Freedom Reads,” which his website describes as “a first-of-its-kind organization that empowers people through literature to confront what prison does to the spirit.” 

During his talk, Betts read various poems he has written throughout the years. Many of his poems deal with themes of incarceration, redemption, and the life of the mind. The poet addressed a packed auditorium, engaging his audience with a casual yet sincere tone, often making use of light profanity to alleviate tension. Kieran Corcoran ‘24, a student in attendance, said of the event, “It seemed like a lot of people enjoyed it, myself included. We were all invested in Mr. Betts’ poetic account of his life story. There was one point when he started riffing. Even though he was supposed to be reciting one of his poems, he started revising it on the spot. I was impressed by how he was confident enough to deviate from what he originally wrote in his presentation.” Corcoran was among a crowd of spectators who enjoyed Betts’ talk, one of many great showings the Prior Performing Art Center this semester.