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“We Real Cool”

Explore the themes, tone, imagery, and structure of Gwendolyn Brooks' iconic poem "We Real Cool". Understand the speaker's perspective, the poem's underlying message, and how it conveys the idea of living in the moment. Dive into the alliteration, sound devices, and rhyme scheme used to enhance the poem's impact.

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“We Real Cool”

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  1. “We Real Cool” By Gwendolyn Brooks (and Mrs. Jordan)

  2. Author Background • American poet, author, teacher • Born June 7, 1917 (Topeka, KS) • Died December 3, 2000 (Chicago, IL) • Studied at King-Kennedy College • Focused work on the struggles of ordinary people in her own community • Link to poem reading: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaVfLwZ6jes&t=9s

  3. Annotating the Poem : Speaker • The speakers are announced in the opening epigram of the poem which states that they are “The Pool Players” • They are “Seven [guys] at the Golden Shovel” pool hall (as explained by the poet) • The speakers are talking about themselves and their actions • The speakers’ argument is the freedom of being able to do as they please, shirk responsibility, and acknowledging what living that way will result in (death).

  4. Annotating the Poem: Tone • The dominant tone is one of “carpe diem” (seize the day). The speakers live for themselves and do whatever brings them pleasure. • A shift does occur in the last line of the poem “die soon” to bring a halting realization to the reader. The poem begins carefree but ends in a solemn seriousness.

  5. Annotating the Poem: Imagery • Sight = “left school”, “lurk late”, “die soon” • Sound = “strike straight” (shooting pool), “sing sin” (voices), “jazz June” (music) • Taste = “thin gin” (alcohol) • Touch = None (maybe pool hall reference or the process of thinning gin) • Smell = None (again, maybe pool hall reference or the process of thinning gin)

  6. Annotating the Poem: Fig. Lang. • Alliteration: • “lurk late” • “strike straight” • “sing sin” • “jazz June”

  7. Annotating the Poem: Sound • Enjambment: Every line except the last one end with a run-on sentence starter “We” • Internal True Rhyme Scheme: AA, BB, CC, DD (example in lines 1 and 2 = “cool” and “school”) • Euphony: poem features repeated letters “O”, “L”, “N” and “I” * Structure = 1 epigram and 4 stanzas, all of which are couplets (most rhyming couplets excluding the enjambment)

  8. How does the poem convey meaning? • This poem is all about living in the moment (carpe diem). • What makes this poem meaningful though is the last line “die soon”. • The speakers are admitting that if they continue to live a fast and dangerous lifestyle that it may be fun in the moment but will also yield horrible results “die soon”. • Overall, they express the idea of “Go Big or Go Home” with the addition of the shocking ending that not a lot of people who live this way will admit. Keep living large with no responsibilities or cares and you can wind up facing grave consequences.

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