"We Real Cool" - Gwendolyn Brook

Thesis: Gwendolyn Brook's use of end rhyme in the poem We Real Cool sets the prideful tone of the seven pool player in the pool room.

Most every line of the poem We Real Cool ends with the word "We".  The repetition of "We" in every line emphasizes the collective nature of the group and shows their up beat confident tone. The end rhyme persists until the last line where it abruptly ends, stating, "We/ Sing sin. We/ Thin Gin. We/ Jazz June. We/ Die soon."(6-8). The abrupt end in end rhyme and repetition signifies the end of the group and the death of the pool players. The poem's structure symbolizes the brief, yet fun, lifestyle that the pool players live. The abrupt end signifies the untimely death of the players due to their reckless and care free lifestyle.