WE REAL COOL, Gwendolyn Brooks

The title of the poem is "We are cool", written by Gwendolyn Brooks in 1966. From reading the title I expect the poem deal with some teenagers that feel cool. The title raise curiosity in the reader what are the teenagers' feelings.

The poem, apart from its subtitle (The Pool Players/ Seven at the Golden Shovel), is made up of four stanza, each of which is a two-line. Every word in the poem has only a syllable. The poem has not the rhyme at the end of the line, but it takes rhyming to a new level: in the middle. Thus, "cool-school" in the first stanza, "late straight" in the second, "sin-gin" in the third and so on. Every line has a pause after each rhyme word followed with the word "we" that is repeated in each line. The poem is regular and it can be pronounced in different ways.

If the reader listen to Brooks reading he will note it is different how he imagined it. Her voice produces deep vibrations like a low saxophone. For example, the line "We are cool" is read like the lyrics of a jazz tune. She implies a regular rhythm.

She attributes at the first word a strong sound and at the second a lighter sound.

The word can be read with low, quiet and uncertain sound.

The poem is also full of alliteration (Pool Players; lurk late; strike straight; sing sin; jazz June).

Brooks wrote this poem because she was passing by a pool hall during school time and she saw seven boys that were shooting pool. She decide to write the poem how they feel about themselves. She describes them how "The Pool Players, seven at the Golden Shovel". They are sometimes happy, but often sad too.

The reader understands in the first stanza that the guys want to be noticed. The repeated use of the word "We" reinforces their group identity. They do not pay attention to school and they do not care about their education.

The second line explains to the reader the boys are free and are independent. They do not go to the school, thus they will not have a work. They are autonomous and protect themselves.

In the third line the writer express the guys sign and play. They have happy, adapting with what they have.

The last line single out that they convey their feelings through the Jazz because they do not have other way to do it. In the last line the reader understands that they die soon because they do not go to the school, have a work and have something to eat. These young men are street people.