This kind of poem is actually called a "Golden Shovel," after Terrance
Hayes' 2010 tribute to Gwendolyn Brooks's 1959 poem "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.
Your poem is beautiful, Matt, especially the ending. Thank you for sharing
it with us.
:) SES