“We real cool / by Gwendolyn Brooks. Detroit, Michigan : Broadside Press, 1966.” 1966. The Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/item/98127005/.
“We Real Cool” is a valuable teaching tool because of its accessible language, unique structure, and impactful message. This broadside of the poem contains several visual elements that reinforce Brooks’s setting and mood.
The poem begins by establishing the setting and subject: pool players at an establishment called the Golden Shovel. From there, the poem speaks from within that group, which is emphasized through Brooks’s anaphora of “we,” in three-word sentences. In the final sentence “We/ Die soon.” It's clear that the pool players are meant to serve as a symbol for rebellious youth as a whole.
“We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks was first published in 1960 amid the Civil Rights Movement. This broadside from 1966 features an informal font but maintains the original format of the poem.
- What do you notice about the structure of the poem? What is the impact of these choices?
- How does the poem’s font and color choices impact your understanding of the poem?
- What poetic devices does Brooks include in the poem?
- What inferences can you make about how Brooks wants readers to feel about the people featured in the poem?
New York State Next Gen ELA Standards
11-12R7: In literary texts, analyze multiple adaptations of a source text as presented in different formats (e.g., works of art, graphic novels, music, film, etc.), specifically evaluating how each version interprets the source. (RL)
- Students will be considering the broadside’s visual components and how they impact the reader.
11-12R5: In literary texts, analyze how varied aspects of structure create meaning and affect the reader. (RL)
- Students will need to investigate the arrangement of the poem, both in terms of stanzas, line breaks, and placement/size of the font on the broadside.
- Students can write their own imitation of the poem by using two lines to establish setting and then a repeating sentence pattern.
- Students can create a broadside for a different poem and explain their visual choices using Canva, Google Slides, or another visual app/website.
This poem and broadside might be challenged because of its references to rebellion, alcohol, and death, in particular within the historical context of the Civil Rights Movement. Because of its brevity, without instruction some might dismiss the poem as a serious and impactful piece of literature.
- The Congressional library [a poem] William Hyrd Hillyer. Atlanta, Ga. [1901?]. This is a poetry broadside primary source in honor of the Library of Congress.
- The fall of man. [8 verses of poetry] Harrisburg, printed and sold by J. S. Wiestling, 1818. This is also a poetry broadside featuring verses about the biblical fall of man.
- Poems of Protest, Resistance, and Empowerment, gathered by the Poetry Foundation, includes a useful introduction to poetry as a vessel for protest. The collection includes poets from a variety of different backgrounds and time periods.
- Using Poetry to Teach Identity, from Facing History: this mini lesson explores two poems that focus on the theme of identity and can serve as scaffolding or a supplement to Brooks’s work.