Reading Response: Poetry and Performance - Essay Example

Poetry and Performance Insert Poetry reading and listening experiences are absolutely different and gives the reader or the listener a distinguished perceptions of a poem. For instance, my experience in reading the We Real Cool, Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem was absolutely a new experience as compared to my listening experience of the poem. This was my reading experience of the poem, and I managed to perceive the poem as follows. The poem’s first line opens with a group of boys at Golden Shovel, pool hall.

The name of the pool is a symbol of the shortness of their youth days. The youths defy their seniors and surround themselves with an atmosphere of mystery that makes them appear cool. The poet proceeds to narrate the unwise decision to leave school, thus compromising their future. Consequently, the boys turn to crime for survival. They take part in dreary criminal activities. The poet concludes the poem with description of the boys’ notorious behavior. The poet says that they “Jazz June” which implies that they are rebellious and ignorant of the fundamentals of wrong and right thus take part in irresponsible behavior.

Their life is characterized of ignorance hence they lead a lifestyle of early death. However, my listening experience was quite different and gave me a better and deeper understanding of the poem (Gwendolyn et al). The poet tells of her experience in real life situation and I can relate more deeply as though it were a real life experience. Precisely, the poet illustrates the social classes and stereotypes in the society. In this case, the youth at the pool hall are Black school drop outs who feel that there is no professional place for them in society.

Since they feel alienated from their white counterparts, they chose a livelihood that they feel content with hence the “we real cool” title of the poem. In addition, the poem has a repetition of “we” which emphasizes their position and makes the poem musical as well. The rhythmic tone of the poem was quite useful in listening to poem since it brought out the boys’ perception of the world and enhanced my understanding of their resolution after they quit school. The performance enhanced my experience of the poem and relating it to real life other than treating like any other piece of text.

For instance, I could compare the boys at the pool with drop outs from my life experience. ReferenceGwendolyn, B. We Real Cool. Retrieved from http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433