Boy Breaking Glass

Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports As a former high school English teacher (and now adult ed English teacher) of 40 years, I have always considered African-American poets to be the most profound and prophetic of all.

Be it Maya Angelou who taught America “why the caged bird sings,” and Langston Hughes who warned us that inevitably a “dream deferred” could “explode!” or Nikki Giovanni who enlightened us with the understanding that “Black love is Black wealth,” African-American poets for decades upon decades have been shining beacons of light down darkened paths so that the lost and forlorn could find their way.

It’s tragically sad for America and the world that so many of their prophesies have…