(A middle schooler responds to Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool”)
SHOOTERS SHOOT
PAST DARK
Damn death
comes too soon
so shoot
we jazz june
summer sun on a blue moon
we take our shot and jump to
leave a cold world with real cool
warm shoes
no cold feet
we hoop dreams
like 24’s
like 23’s
up here
untied laces float
like wings
up here
we play beat we
slang speak
like rap slings
words too smooth words
two times
two
like
don't try
just do
your sisters did not raise fools
we know the laws of gravity
we just choose to
break the rules
so don't trip Momma
they you speak of don't make it
cuz they don't have
"air"
we the boyz who make it
cuz we don’t care
that no one
cares
From right to left: 1985 Jordan 1 Bred, Nike Air Fear of God 1 'The Question' - Jerry Lorenzo, Air Jordan 12 Retro X OVO - Drake, Off-White Nike Air Presto - Virgil Abloh, Nike Air Yeezy 2 NRG 'Solar Red,' Nike Kobe 6 Proto Grinch, Jordan 1 Travis Scott Mocha, Nike Air Max 97 Sean Wotherspoon, Nike Lebron 8 South Beach, Denim Tears Converse Chuck Taylor - Tremaine Emory, Nike SB Dunk Low Staple NYC Pigeon - Jeff Staple, NikeCraft Mars Yard 1.0 - Tom Sachs, Eminem ‘Black Chrome’ Jordan Retro 4, Nike Cortez Kenny 1 - Kendrick Lamar, Nike SB Dunk High MF Doom