What does lurk mean in the poem We Real Cool?
In the second stanza of “We Real Cool,” Brooks claims that the pool players “lurk late” (line 3) and “shoot straight” (line 4). The word “lurk” indicates that the teens are not being productive but instead feel they can stay out shooting pool as late as they want without any thought of the next day or the future.
What does jazz June mean in We Real Cool?
Some readers point to “jazz” as a slang word meaning “to have sex with.” Instead, “Jazz June” suggests freedom, improvisation, dancing, seduction, and, of course, time off school. For these guys, it’s always like June, because they are always off school.
What is the poem the golden shovel about?
The golden shovel is a contemporary poetic form that follows a set of rules invented by the acclaimed poet Terrance Hayes in homage to Gwendolyn Brooks, the former poet laureate and the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize.
What is the meaning of Lurk late?
We / Lurk late,” indicate that the speakers are probably high school or college dropouts whose principal hours are late in the evening (01-03). These are clearly denizens of the night, who are also prone to “strike straight” (04).
Why was We Real Cool banned?
“We Real Cool,” Gwendolyn Brooks One of Gwendolyn Brooks’s most famous poems, “We Real Cool,” was banned in schools in Mississippi and West Virginia in the 1970s for the penultimate sentence in the poem: “We / Jazz June.” The school districts banned the poem for the supposed sexual connotations of the word “jazz.”
What does we lurk late mean?
strike straight
We / Lurk late,” indicate that the speakers are probably high school or college dropouts whose principal hours are late in the evening (01-03). These are clearly denizens of the night, who are also prone to “strike straight” (04).
Why does Brooks put the word we at the end of almost every line?
The placement of the We at the end of lines imitates the movement of seven pool players who would step up to the table to take their turns after the previous player has shot. Brooks wants those who read this poem to understand that the males who choose this kind of life find themselves at the end of many lines.
What does a tiny golden shovel mean?
A golden shovel is a poetic form in which the last word of each line forms a second, pre-existing poem (or section thereof), to which the poet is paying homage.
What is a blackout poem?
What is blackout poetry? Blackout poetry is when you take a written piece of text from a book, newspaper, or magazine and redact words, in order to come up with your very own poetry!
Who Wrote We Real Cool?
Gwendolyn Brooks
We Real Cool/Authors
Gwendolyn Brooks is one of the most highly regarded, influential, and widely read poets of 20th-century American poetry. She was a much-honored poet, even in her lifetime, with the distinction of being the first Black author to win the Pulitzer Prize.