"We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks (1959)

One of Gwendolyn Brooks’s most famous poems, “We Real Cool” utilizes parallelism and simple syntax. First published in her poetry collection entitled The Bean Eaters, “We Real Cool” describes a group of teenagers who hang out at the pool hall, drinking and skipping school with the prophetic warning that the teenagers will die soon. The poem is both a celebration of rebellion and a challenge to authority. It is a cautionary tale about getting into trouble.

"Emplumada" by Lorna Dee Cervantes (1981)

Lorna Dee Cervantes is considered one of the major voices of the Chicana literary movement and is a contemporary of Sandra Cisneros. Her work explores the cultural differences between Mexican, white, and Indigenous communities in the Americas. In addition, her work tackles the issues of border identities and colonial oppression. The title poem of her collection, “Emplumada,” describes withering flowers and the hummingbirds that fight over access to them.

"A Carafe, that is a Blind Glass" by Gertrude Stein (1914)

Gertrude Stein is a renowned figure in literature and art for her contributions to Modernism. Her personal art collection and her close relationship with painters like Picasso and Matisse situate her as an essential contributor to the development of Modernism as a genre.