Zora POV

It was after school and I was at Bel-Air Academy for my poetry club. I was busy talking to Christiana and Brittney

"Everyone, the meeting's about to begin. So, will you please take your seats?" Christiana said as we all sat down

"I'd like to open this meeting with a reading from the poem "Daddy"
by Sylvia Plath." She said

"Daddy. "Panzer-man, panzer-man, o you. "Every woman adores a fascist.
"The boot in the face the brute, brute hard of a brute like you." Christiana read then smiled

"Sylvia Plath killed herself shortly after writing this poem." She said as I felt someone tap me as I turned around

"Yo, if she didn't, her daddy would have." Will said

"What are you doing here" I asked him

"Who are you" Brittney asked

"Oh, everybody. This is my main man, Will Smith the newest member
of our poetry club." Mr. Fellows said

"Will, Christina Johnson. And we're so glad to have you. It's such a thrill to see a man from Bel-Air Academy not afraid to share our love of poetry." Christiana told him

"Hey, thanks, Christina. Yo, on with
the love sharin'" Will told her

"Well, you can start by reading a poem for us." Christiana told him

"Uh, uh, I didn't bring one." He told her

"Oh, what a shame. There's nothing
that moves me more than hearing
a poem recited in a deep, sensual,
masculine voice." Christiana said

"I got a poem." He said in a deep voice

"Who's it by?" I asked

"Uh, he's a street poet. He's a friend of mine. His name is, uh, uh, Raphael De La Ghetto." Will told us

"Raphael Delageteau. I don't think I've ever heard of him." I said

"I have." Mr. Fellow said

"You have?" Will asked

"I stay pretty current, bro. Isn't he one of those street poets from south central L.A.?" Mr. Fellow asked

"Yeah, yeah. Same guy." Will said

"Will, the floor is yours." Brittney told him

Will, why don't you recite your poem?" I asked him

"Alright, uh, ladies, my poem is called, uh.....Tick-tock Clock by Raphael Delageteau." He told us

"Tick tock clock the clock is ticking for you. 'Cause the love you said you'd give
came up way past due." He said

"Ooh!" Everyone said

"So dance to the clock rock. Stay on the floor. 'Cause when the ticks turn to tocks I'll be knockin' at your door." He said as everyone clapped

"Listen, everybody, let's take a break while I go fire up the cappuccino maker." Mr. Fellow said as he walked out the classroom

"That poem was brilliant. Delageteau uses a lot of metaphor." Christiana told him

"Oh, no, baby. He used to. He went to the clinic. He's straight now." He told her

"I'd love to hear more of Delageteau's poems." I told him

"As a woman, I find his work so passionate so raw, so exciting. When I hear those words my body just quivers
crying out for more." Christina told him

"Poetry's good." He said in a deep voice

After school I walked into the Banks House as I saw Will and Jazz in the living room as I went go sit down

"Alright, look. Listen to what I got so far. I just need one last line." Will said

"My love for you is like a river. "Like a summer breeze "that makes my soul shiver. One look from you is more precious than gold." Will said

"Let's go get some barbecue and get busy." Jazz told him

"What kind of line is that?" Will asked

"It always works for me." Jazz said as Carlton walked into the living room

"Well the part you did have was really beautiful" I told him

"I hear someone in this room likes poetry. Try this one on for size.
Roses are red, violets are blue
pansies are poets. Will, tell me it isn't true." He said

"That's funny. I got a poem for you, Carl. Try this one on for size. Roses are red, violets are blue Jazz and I are black, but Carlton, what are you?" Will said as I laughed

"I personally think guys who are poets are very attractive" I told them as they looked at me as Carlton left the living room

"Master William I applaud your
new interest. Poetry is one of my great loves. I won first prize at the old Devonshire poetry recital of 1963." Geoffrey said

"Master William, Miss Zora, you should have been there. The crowd rose to its feet shouting, "Encore! Encore!" He told us

"That's very interesting--" I said but was cut off

"Cannon to the right of them. Cannon to the left of them. Cannon in front of them. Volleyed and thundered!" Geoffrey yelled

"You need a last line for that?" Jazz asked when Mr. Banks walked in

"Good evening."

"Good evening, sir."

"So, young man, how'd it go at school today?" Mr. Banks asked

"I joined the poetry club." Will said

"Excellent. I remember when I first got
interested in poetry. So who's the girl?" Mr. Banks asked

"Man, I'm starving. When do we eat here?" Jazz asked

"We eat here later. You eat here never." Mr. Banks told him

"Looks like you eat here often." He said patting his stomach as Mr. Banks went go through him out

"Hi, Will. Where's your uncle?" Mrs. Banks asked as her and Ashley walked in

"Uh, he's throwing Jazz out the house again?" Will said

"Oh, okay. Here are those poetry books you wanted. I used them in the freshman lit class I taught last year.
If you have any questions about poetry, just ask me." She told him

"Well, yeah, I have a question. Well, I understand why guys get into poetry
to get girls. But why do girls like poetry?" Will asked

"Because girls think with their brains." I told him

"Miss Christina Johnson." Geoffrey said as he walked in with Christiana

"Hey, Christina." I said as Will walked up to her

"Uh, this is my Aunt Viv and this is my Cousin Ashley. You know Zora" Will said

"Nice to meet you, Christina." Mrs. Banks said

"You, too." Christiana said

"You'll have to excuse us." She said

"Oh! Hey, Will, I've got a poem.
Will and Christina sitting in a tree--" Ashley teased

"Hey, hey, hey. Beat it." Will said as I grabbed her hand and walked out

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My grandfather and Geoffrey took me, Hilary, and Toni to poetry night

"What are you guys doing here?" Will asked

"Well I am apart of the poetry club" I said

"It's after dark, Master William. I thought it wise to drive the young ladies to ensure that they arrived safely." Geoffrey said

"Are there any women my age here?" My grandfather asked him as he and Geoffrey walked through the door

"But why did you two come?" Will asked Hilary and Toni

"Are you kidding? We heard the buzz about this event on Melrose. I cannot believe your dinky little school got Raphael Delageteau to come." Toni said

"Why didn't you tell me it was poetry night? You know what a great lover
of literature I am." Hilary said

"Hilary, I've never seen you read nothing." Will told her

"Oh, that's right. And I suppose I just get my horoscope out of the air." She said as the three of us walked through the door

I got up as I went to the bathroom. I came back and heard Geoffrey and Will talking

"Master William. The audience is
growing restless. Where is this
Delageteau fellow?" Geoffrey asked

"G, I really stepped in it this time, man.
I don't know what I'm gonna do." Will said

"What's wrong?" Geoffrey asked

"There is no Raphael Delageteau. I made him up. I just wanted to impress Zora. I even had Jazz hire a phony poet to come tonight but the dude didn't show up." I heard Will say as I smiled

Why would he go through all this to impress me?

"There was extenuating circumstances." Geoffrey told him

"I don't know what I'm gonna do, G. Zora's a very, very nice girl. If she finds out I lied to her she may never even
speak to me again." Will said as I went back to my seat

"Everyone, I'm sorry for the delay but the big moment has finally come.
I'd like to present the man responsible
for this evening's event. Mr. Will Smith." Mr. Fellow said as everyone clapped

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Raphael Delageteau." Will said as Geoffrey walked down the stairs with a big afro on and a dashiki

"Listen to the street beat. Hear the sound pound. Plug your ears mask your fears something weird's going down.
So listen to the street beat. Listen to the box shock. Listen, or I'll kill you." Geoffrey said

"That was heavy, man. Let's have another one."

"Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore!Encore!" Everyone chanted

"Cannon to the right of them. Cannon to the left of them. Cannon in front of them. Volleyed and thundered!" Geoffrey yelled

"Hilary, isn't that your butler?" Toni asked

"Yeah. Wow. It's a good look for him." Hilary said

"Come through the jaws of death." Geoffrey said

"Silence, you ungrateful children. When you're ready to be quiet and listen, I shall return." He said as Christiana and I walked up to Will

"That was your butler." Christiana asked

"Hey, hey, look, let me explain." Will said

"You don't even know Delageteau.
I can't believe anything you've said to me. You're nothing but a liar. Right Zora?" Christiana said

"My man will ain't no liar." Jazz said

"Who are you?" Christiana asked

"I am Raphael Delageteau." He said

"Well, where's your afro? And where's your dashiki?" She asked

"I worked all that out in therapy." He told her

"I don't know who to believe anymore. How do I know you're the real Raphael Delageteau?" Christiana asked

Listen..My love for you is like a river.
Like a summer breeze that makes my soul shiver. One look from you is more precious than gold. Let's go get some barbecue and get busy." He said

"Oh, Raphael. Tell me more." Christiana said

"Works every time." Jazz told him as they walked away

My grandfather and I were at the Banks House as Will put on the fake Afro and was imitating Geoffrey as I had on Will's suit jacket

"Cannon to the left of them! Cannon to the right of them!" Will said as we all laughed

"Oh, I'm sorry I missed that." Mr. Banks said

"So Jazz went out with Christina, huh?" Ashley asked

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's cool, though, baby. Hey, I'm a poet, and there's a
lot more ink in this pen." Will said

"I think you have a talent for poetry, Will." I told him

"Come on, Zee. I was just playing around with this stuff." He told me

"But the poem that you wrote got a standing ovation." Hilary told him

"That's right, and it got me a date." Grandpa said

"Grandpa" I said laughing

"Don't hate the player hate the game" he said

"And the other one you wrote got Jazz a date." Ashley said

"And the one I got out of your wastebasket got me a date." Carlton said

'Mommy, I'd like to hear a poem. Could you read us one?" Ashley asked as Will sat down next to me and took off his afro

"Okay This is a poem that your father
and I especially love. It's by Amiri Baraka. It's called "Three Modes of
History and Culture." She said as she grabbed my poetry book

"I think about a time "when I will be relaxed. "When flames and nonspecific passion "wear themselves away. "And my eyes and hands and mind can turn
"and soften "and the songs will be softer and weight the air."she read

"If you'd like to learn more about poetry you can reach us at--Psych. We just kidding. Goodnight, y'all." Will said looking forward waving

"Who are you talking to" I asked looking forward

Will was in his room as I went go return his jacket

"Here you go" I told him

"Oh thanks" He said as he went go hang it up

"Hey I heard what you said" I told Will

"About what" he asked

"Wanting to impress me" I told him as he rubbed the back of his neck

"Oh yeah I mean I was trying to find something the two of us have in common. I mean you and Carlton like to do crosswords together, the same movies, I just kinda wanted us to have a thing" he told me

"Hey we have plenty in common so you don't need to lie to me but this can be our thing" I told him as I walked into the kitchen and saw Carlton writing

"What are you doing" I asked him.

"Writing a poem" he told me

"I thought you said poetry was for pansies" I teased

"Well I got a whole new perspective on it" he told me

"Can I hear it" I asked

"How her eyes shine like diamonds
How her hair frames her face
When she smiles I can feel my stomach ache" he said as I smiled it was actually really good

"That's all I got" he told me sheepishly

"That was actually really good." I told him as he smiled

"Zora sweetheart lets go" I heard my grandfather yelling

"Coming" I said as I waved goodbye to Carlton I went meet up with my grandfather