Gwendolyn Brooks 'We Real Cool?'

?We Real Cool? Poetry Essay Assignment 5. Analyze a poem using a structure that will include a paraphrase of the poem, interpretation of the poem, and the theme of the poem.

Professor We Real Cool The Pool Players.

Seven at the Golden Shovel.

We Real Cool. We Left school. We Lurk Late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon. (Brooks 782) ?We Real Cool? was written by Gwendolyn Brooks in 1960. This poem is short but powerful. ?It gives the reader an idea about how Brooks feels about young pool players.? (Rubinstein) She uses diction, sound, characterization and form to present a deeper meaning in her work. She also effectively utilizes literary techniques such as rhythm, alliteration, and imaging that contribute to the overall theme.

The speaker of this poem associates
himself with a group that he refers to as we.
The poem is written in first person, presenting only one character?s point of view. The title is ironic. "We Real Cool" (3) is contradicting the last line, "We Die soon." (10) Every detail in her work is deliberate. The italicized introduction "The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel" (1,2) evokes a figurative meaning. The number seven, for example, signifies luck as pool players; while golden implies perfection. However, shovel reminds the reader of death. ?Brooks reveals the ignorance of the players in their speech. "We real cool," is missing the verb "are," so it is no surprise when the speaker says, "We Left School."(4) (Rubinstein) With these few words she uses language and rhythm to shows the players mental demeanor. As an example "we" is at the end of each line rather than at the beginning of the line; therefore emphasizing each one of the monosyllabic. That symbolizes the pool players lack the ability to communicate with words
that are larger than one syllable due to the fact they ?Left School? and now donot have an education. Several of the lines toward the end of the poem begin with an alliteration such as, ?Lurk late,? (5)?Thin Gin,?(8)? "Strike straight,"(6)? "Sing sin," (7)? and "Jazz June,"(9)? These are examples of their lifestyle. Meaning they stay out late partying, drinking lots of liquor, fighting, and praising sin. That may at first seem advantageous. ?We Jazz June?(9) is the most suggestive line in the poem. The term June is a female. Jazz has many meanings. Although the one most likely referred to by the poet is the meaningless talk and act of sexual intercourse. The final stanza ?Die Soon? (10) shows their lifestyle is not cool and that it has lead to powerlessness and death.

?We Real Cool? is a sad poem about a group of pool players who mock education and society. Their life seemed desirable at first since they could escape the drudgery of school and work for romantic possibilities. However, dramatic irony of the poems last stanza "Die soon." Immediately reveal the pool players as pathetic and powerless in life.

Works Cited Brooks, Gwendolyn. "We Real Cool." Literature Reading, Reacting, Writing, Fourth Edition. Ed. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Harcourt College Publishers, 2001. 782.

Rubinstein, Jeffrey. ?Hillsborough Community College Writing Center? 17 Feb. 1999. 31 March 2002.