R Craig Gallagher is a high school sophomore attending Cape Henry Collegiate School in Virginia Beach through the Laila Serpe Distinguished Scholar Scholarship. He wrote this for his English class last year. His teacher encouraged him to publish it. Craig comes from good writing stock: his grandmother is vox poetica’s own Jeanette Gallagher, whose last poem to appear here was The Power of We (October 2013).
I’m a Cool Guy
(after Gwendolyn Brooks’ We Real Cool)
By R Craig Gallagher
I’m a cool guy. I
get high. I
dare death. I
make meth. I
don’t drop. I
stop cops. I
feel fine. I
spit rhymes.
Craig, this is a serious short story in this great prose poetry. Keep up the good work. Also, you are a lucky boy to have Jeanette Gallagher for your grandmother.
Craig is a “Cool Guy” but this poem, although it’s fantastic, really doesn’t speak to his own ‘coolness.’ He is a brilliant, kind, and funny guy. Teachers speak of his genius in all subjects. He’s a talented singer with a beautiful voice. He’s singing “Yesterday” with the school orchestra on my status page on Facebook and another song by the Beatles “Blackbird” is there, also. I love this poem and am so proud of him and appreciate Vox Poetica publishing “I’m a Cool Guy!”
What a great poem! The rhyme and rhythm just makes it sing. I hope this is the first of many poems this young man will write–he has real talent.
I love Craig’s poem. He was writing poetry when he was a little boy. I think it’s in his veins! He really is a ‘cool’ guy! In this poem he uses imagery to show us a guy who is the opposite of himself. Congratulations for his first published poem! And by vox poetica, the best ever web site, thanks to Annmarie!