Who Is Human (Draft 1)
Whoa, hold on just a second:
this is no trivial thing
Analysis of genomes says
there was sex between
the pompous “modern” humans
Neanderthals, Denisovans, and
beautiful babies were born
Did you not say that
a “species” was defined by
anyone able to interbreed
and produce fertile babies
Did you not say that
a subspecies was
synonymous with “race”.
We Neanderthal
demand an apology
because if we
are of your species
then we are
of equal intelligence on average
and as a subspecies or race
we potentially are sapiens
Beyond the many ancient wars
some of our lovers and protesters
were wise
It is you who were war-like
and unloving
If we interbred with you
who call yourself wise
it was from love
and not from war
We are a subspecies
of Homo Sapiens sapiens
and so our Neanderthal race
will now celebrate
our place in history
as struggling wise wanderers.
— Douglas Gilbert