We Real Cool

The poem was hard to understand because it's so short. I had to analyze it a few times until I was able to get the gist of what is going on. Short poem's are always a problem for me because there's never ever enough detail to explain what it's trying to say. Honestly, what really helped me understand the poem was the opening title that says "The Pool Players. Seven at the Golden Shovel.". When I first read the poem, I never noticed it. I didn't even notice it the second time around. I saw it, and that was my "aha!" moment. I understood finally that the poem was about a few friends who cut school to come to this pool hall and are enjoying their lives. The final sentence, "We die soon", refers to the fact that life is short. Essentially, that's what the poem is about. A short life that we must enjoy while we can. The writer is setting up images for the reader of what a "fun life" is supposed to look like. Hanging out with your friends, listening to jazz, drinking some jin, all the above. This poem is an accurate representation of the simple fact that people need to lighten up. I mean, you only get one life, right?