In “God Poem,” Lonnie is back on the roof of Miss Edna’s house and is careful to avoid glass since people throw bottles up there. He finds solace on the roof, even in the cold, and it’s a place where he can read Lili’s Bible alone. Among classmates at school, Lonnie listens to Ms. Marcus’s directions to write in “All of a Sudden, The Poem” and Angel suggests an idea that makes her smile. Other students toss out similar ideas, hoping to please her too, which annoys Lonnie. Ultimately, he’s frustrated that he has nothing to contribute.

Next, Lonnie’s poem “Hey Dog” shares how this is what his friends call each other when they play basketball. He doesn’t know where this comes from, but it makes him feel good nonetheless. In “Occasional Poem,” Ms. Marcus directs students to write about a specific event, either past or present. When Lamont dismisses her idea to write about his birthday in June, the tone in class shifts. Ms. Marcus sadly suggests writing about January instead. The whole exchange pushes Lonnie’s ideas about his mother’s funeral out of his head, so he decides to write about Lamont and Ms.