Gwendolyn, an American poet, is influenced by the Civil Rights Movement’s experiences and circumstances. The Movement was about segregation between the African American and Caucasian communities. Brown v. Board of Education is a prime example. The Supreme Court ruled in 1958 that segregating schools was against the Constitution. The African American community was frustrated that desegregation wasn’t working fast enough and became disillusioned. The poem “We Real Cool” tells the story of young men trying to figure their place in society. Also, the choice to stay on the streets, partying, and not attending classes. To convey the struggle of young reckless teenagers who will ultimately die from their street lifestyle, the poet uses simple language tone and line structure.
The poem’s tone is set by “We”. The small language suggests a group of rebellious allegiance and defiance. The pool halls are preferred by the players to formal tasks. The poet depicts sadness in the lives and actions of someone who is “cool”. Lines 2 & 3. We / Lulk late. These players have a feeling of uncertainty. In the verses, it is clear that the player has a weak condition. This attitude is the heart of the poem. It also demonstrates the power of young people in a world with little to no voice. The lines are utterly street-speak in their diction. The poet is non-judgmental throughout. The descriptions are simple and allow readers to make their own conclusions. Line breaks are an integral part of the poem’s strength, beauty, and authority. The line breaks are a strategic way to address strong character. Each stanza ends with a single sentence. Instead, the thought proceeds to the next verse, “Luck later. We / Strike right. We”. You might wonder if you could put the “we” sentences together (We really cool). We left school. We lurk late.) It would be interesting to see if this effect would occur. What description would you give the pool players? Or how does the poem’s original construction change? Partly, it seems that the poet has added breaks to convey a feeling of hesitation, which is a sign of gentlemen’s lack self-confidence. (Whitworth 146). The poem begins with an exhilarating title, “We Real Cool,” that reads almost like jazz music lyrics. The words’ arrangements reflect an uneven pace. The words are prepared in a way that allows for unexplored creative possibilities. The poet emphasizes “We really cool” in each stanza of the poem. We / Left school. As a sarcastic murmur, we” (lines 1-2). The mocking voice implies that the person is feeling guilty about leaving school. Reading aloud can be a way to justify why these gentlemen quit school. The poem’s structure is infused with a lively jazz tempo from the beginning to the end. Alliteration adds another dimension to the poem’s rhythm. Lines 5, 7 & 9 “Lurk Late / Strike Straight / Sing Sin” illustrate the alliteration involved. The second stanza of the title seemed to be a reference to gentlemen who sing unseemly songs and stay out late. These actions have an appealing value because of the alliteration. Contrast that, the alliteration of “strike” or “lurk”, suggests a threatening side to these cool events.
Unusual components are used in this poem progression to intensify strong images with rhymes. In each verse, the poet uses more than one rhyme device. A poem is unified when it uses the same rhyming words in close proximity. The stress in each word is added by lines 3 and 4, for example. Lines 7 and 8 are examples of this. This allows the images to stand out in the two-liner. Some emotions: The mood starts off as light and fun, but the poem becomes more serious. The poet also adds an internal rhyme to the end of the poem, “We/Sing in.” Lines 6-8. Internal rhymes refers the repetition in line endings (Allen66). One noticed that “” was back in print.
The last line ends with “We”, which helps to focus on the pool players. The lines are interconnected via some sort of device. This word is not linked to any rhyming sections and it appears as if it were floating by itself. The only missing line in the last sentence is “We”, which makes it stand out. The irony in the poet’s feelings about these irresponsible habits is again evident.
Finally, the reckless ride of a lifetime is over. Living on the streets often leads to a tragic end. Two words are used to connect the irony in the poem’s first section. They are “golden shovel” and “golden”. The word “golden” indicates excellence or happiness. The “shovel” symbolises death, dirt being poured on a casket or later burial. The end of the poem leaves the word “Die soon” as it is possible that the partying has ended or the person is returning to school or the final death. The poet doesn’t give up on the possibility of a positive or negative death, leaving it up to one interpretation.
Gwendolyn was asked how “We Real Cool” came about. Brooks said she found inspiration in Chicago when she saw a group African American school-age boys in a swimming pool. The only thing that is certain in these halls is despair and darkness. This is still a powerful message today. All ethnicities see individuals who don’t do the things that make them successful but instead choose to be reckless or destructive. Keep learning, keep trying new things and believing that each day brings you more success.
