The Bean Eaters

poetry by Brooks

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June 17, 2026

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"The Bean Eaters" is a poetry collection by Gwendolyn Brooks, published in 1960. Brooks, the first African American poet to win a Pulitzer Prize, focused her work on the daily lives of urban African Americans, blending Modernist techniques with Black vernacular.12

"The Bean Eaters" includes some of Brooks's most recognized poems, such as "We Real Cool." This collection also addresses themes of social justice, touching on events like the murder of Emmett Till and the fight for school desegregation.1

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Gwendolyn Brooks
The Bean Eaters
Brooks’s third collection, The Bean Eaters, contains some of her best verse, including her most famous poem, “We Real Cool.” Consisting of four short stanzas, each made up of two lines of one-syllable words, the poem describes seven boys who have skipped school to play pool.
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Brooks’s third collection, The Bean Eaters, contains some of her best verse, including her most famous poem, “We Real Cool.” Consisting of four short stanzas, each made up of two lines of one-syllable words, the poem describes seven boys who have skipped school to play pool.
Read More