Staying Cool

Because it's getting so hot outside, here's a little coolness.....

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.

--copyright Gwendolyn Brooks

Hear an audio clip of Ms. Brooks reading her poem here

Read Terrance Hayes' extremely cool variation on Brooks' poem here