David L. Cooper

Eve was strolling in
the Olduvai Gorge
while Adam
chased lions—
Oh, didn’t you know:
Adam and Eve
were black?
African Genesis,
baby.
Later,
their grandchildren
split for Eu-rope
and lost their
natural sun tans,
afros,
and jazz.
Later,
Native Americans
got their morning papers
and read the news
as they sipped their coffee:
Columbus Discovers America
They didn’t know America was
lost.
Then, slavery started
& those Africans
brought music to
America, but
they had to
wait for Alan Lomax
to discover
The Blues.
& you can see
where I’m headed:
These are the things
they don’t teach you
in school.