"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.
- Gwendolyn Brooks.
***
I think this is one of my favorite poems because it is just as cool when it's spoken aloud as it is on paper. And it's easy to memorize. Brooks has exercised serious word economy and yet has said so much. The brothers in this poem - I know them. My father and uncles grew up with them. Hell, some of my uncles are them (save for the terminal fate, thankfully). I met with a colleague this morning for coffee and to share poems. I loved the piece she had with her (when I find it, I'll post it).
So, if you please, what poem would you, could you carry in your pocket today? Any day? Post it in the comments section here or in your own spaces, if you like. Share it with me. Share it with each other. Just share it.
3 comments:
G-Dub... this woman jumpstarted poetry for me.
I own four books of poetry. Ms. Brooks collected works, When We speak of Angels by Ms. Hooks (who is a little crazy in real life), Saul's She and now Pablo Neruda's Love Poems. one like every 3 years (more would be too much for me), thanks to her.
oh u readers and writers...
i really am sitting here thinking, and i just can't say.
hmmm...
my HomeBoy introduced me to pablo neruda, so he gets eternal cool points for that. mr. saul williams has been blowing my mind since SLAM.
don't front, miss pam - when you DO say, it's poetry. straight up. and let's not forget that poetry can be visual too.
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