The poem describes 7 young men who have left school and spend their time playing pool late at night, drinking gin, and engaging in risky behaviors that will lead to an early death. They boast that they are "real cool" for having dropped out of school and living a reckless lifestyle focused on vices like alcohol, crime, and jazz music.

1. We Real Cool
— Gwendolyn Brooks —

3. 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.

4. 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.