Poets Reginald Dwayne Betts and Mai Der Vang in conversation

What can animals teach us about ourselves? That’s part of what poets Reginald Dwayne Betts and Mai Der Vang are both exploring in their new collections.

“Doggerel” is Bett’s collection about the relationship between dogs and their humans. “Primordial” by Der Vang tells of a nearly extinct deer-like creature that lives in the jungles of Laos.

They spoke to OPB’s Jenn Chavez at the 2025 Portland Book Festival.

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