Poetry from Women of the Black Arts Movement

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 (1969)



Sonia Sanchez performing "Put on the Sleeves of Love"