Rich (5 page)

Dyamonde hadn’t even entered the contest, but in a way, she felt like a winner. She’d learned to like poetry, thanks to Damaris. Which is what she told her the next day at lunch when she could get a word in edgewise.

“I’m a published poet now,” said Free.

“Yes. We know,” said Dyamonde.

“It’s like I told you, I’m a poet and I know it.”

“And now so do the rest of us,” said Dyamonde.

“Abso-tively, posi-lutely,” said Damaris.

Free shook his head. He always tuned out whenever Damaris started speaking in made-up words.

“Look,” said Free, “I’m just sayin’ I got skills.”

Dyamonde sighed.
I knew I was
never going to hear the end of this,
she thought.

“You’re right, Free. You’ve got skills. But Damaris has even more ‘skills,’ which is why she won the contest. Your poem was the best,” said Dyamonde, trying to turn the attention to Damaris.

Free shrugged. “Your poem was righteous, I give you that,” said Free.

“Well, I don’t know about
righteous
,” said Damaris, “but it’s the truth. And my mom told me you should never be ashamed of the truth.”

“Word,” said Free, silent for half a second. Then he tapped his poem in the Sunday newspaper, saying, “But look at this baby. It’s beautiful! Come on, be honest. Y’all both know that Fabulous Free should have been the winner!”

Free struck a pose like he was waiting for some reporter to run up and snap his picture.

“Oh,
puleeze!
” said Dyamonde. She and Damaris burst out laughing. Before Free knew it, he was laughing too.

The story begins with Free and Dyamonde in front of a store window. Free is grumbling about how much he hates being poor, until Dyamonde explains the true meaning of being poor—having no money, no clothes, no food, no place to live, and no one who cares. Has there ever been a time when you really wanted something but were unable to get it, because you or your parents didn’t have the money?

Mrs. Cordell announces that the local library is hosting a poetry contest, and the top three poems will be published on the Kids’ Page of the Sunday newspaper, with the winner receiving $100. Dyamonde and Free are truly excited thinking about what they could get for $100. What are some ways you could spend $100? Would you donate any of your money to charity?

Dyamonde observes Damaris reading a book, rather than eating her lunch. In fact, Dyamonde has hardly ever seen her eat lunch. Dyamonde becomes curious about Damaris and wonders who knows anything about her at all. Have you ever been curious about someone or something? Did you find out what you wanted to know?

In chapter four Dyamonde drags Free to the secondhand store for a treasure hunt. Free hates secondhand stores, but Dyamonde persuades him to see things her way and look around a bit, and they both come away with treasures. Have you ever tried to persuade one of your friends? Did you have a difficult time trying to make him/her see things your way?

One Saturday Mrs. Daniel joins Dyamonde on a treasure hunt. As they leave the store, Dyamonde spots Damaris coming out of a white building, but Damaris runs away. As Dyamonde passes the building, she notices a sign that reads
SHELTER
. What is a shelter? Have you ever visited a shelter?

There are three topics that the students can choose to write their poems about: Nature, Make-believe, and Home. Why do you think Damaris chooses to write about Home?

On
The Three Musketeers
, Free asks Damaris why she never invites him and Dyamonde to her house. Dyamonde kicks Free under the table and gives him a don’t-you-even-think-about-it look. What is Dyamonde’s reason for kicking Free? Do you think Free understands Dyamonde’s reaction to his question?

Dyamonde invites Damaris to her house for a sleepover. At breakfast a tear slides down Damaris’s cheek. Why is she upset? What is Dyamonde’s reaction to seeing her friend crying?