AP Lit. Bellringer 10/8
What words or phrases are negatively connoted in Gwendolyn Brooks' poem? How does this
add to the overall mood of the text?
We Real Cool
By: Gwendolyn Brooks
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.
From The Bean Eaters by Gwendolyn Brooks, published by Harpers. 1960
1. Where does this poem take place?
2. Who makes up the "we" in the poem? How would you describe the "we" and what are they doing throughout
the poem (consider their age and attitude)?
4. How would you describe the sound of the poem - like a song, a chant, or some other sound?
5. What is the mood or tone of the poem? Utilize diction to analyze this.