Poem In Your Post Blog Hop: "We Real Cool" - Banned!

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.

             - Gwendolyn Brooks, 1960

A pensive Ms. Brooks.

Yes, folks, this poem was banned in West Virginia and Nebraska schools because community members claimed that the phrase "jazz june" referred to sex.  Which it didn't. 

Here's an illuminative and divertingly quick audio clip of Brooks talking about the poem and how it arose for her: http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15433

For many interesting and illuminating articles about banned poets and poetry, jump over to Banned and Dangerous Art. 

This week, why not post a controversial or edgy poem, just to stir things up a bit during Banned Books Week?  Then link back here so we can share our subversions.


MFB,
L