Introduction
Despite its short and abrupt form, the poem “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brooks presents a story filled with emotions that are expressed indirectly but as vivid as the book itself. The author is known for her works that reflect the lives of ordinary folk from her community. In this essay, I will analyze the voice that appears to be the most suitable for reading this poem and what images it recalls.
Main body
I would like to start with the description of a person whom I imagined when reading this poem. I hear a voice of a young African American boy, aged 15-17. He speaks in an African American accent with heavy gesturing to emphasize the meaning of his words. He might be sitting in the same area where he grew up, where the primary color of the scenery would be gray. The distant sounds of urban life would accentuate his words.
This imagery affects the way I read this poem in several ways. First, it makes me subconsciously emphasize the words “We” at the end of each line, with a short pause afterward. Moreover, I imagine that pronunciation of each line would take on a new emotion, ranging from pride to melancholy. These words are defiant when spoken by a young person since they might think that they express their discontent with the world around them by living such a life. This defiance would also be accentuated by a pride included in these words.
The poem suggests that the life of a person who could be represented by this poem is far from perfect. There is a conflicting scenery that reveals the inner struggles that cannot be easily resolved. However, this range of emotions is understood by the author clearly, as she successfully conveys how a situation that would be considered dire for most is portrayed with dignity. As Brooks starts her poem with a positive note, it is immediately understood that the potential owner of these words will not consider themselves to be a loser in life.
Perhaps, this Black young man is expressing his contempt for the situation he is in yet presents it as a sign of rebelliousness. The last words of Brooks’ work read “die soon,” although I cannot say that they are spoken with extreme sadness (17). Instead, I imagine a degree of acceptance for his fate, with a hint of guilt for the missed opportunities in life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this poem recalls an image of a Black teenager whose voice plays a crucial role in the presentation of this poem. His accent adds color to the otherwise bleak imagery of an urban area. Due to this vision, the poem is read without any sadness or disappointment towards the gruesomeness of the depicted situation, but with defiance. I think that this image represents a generation of Black people who grow in such conditions yet refuse to succumb to the troubles in their lives.
Work Cited
Brooks, Gwendolyn. The Bean Eaters. Harpers, 1960.