lessons not learned in prep school in school girl uniforms, lives unfolded through preordained dreams, by lessons in books of world religions, iambic verses, schematics of possibilities. on school grounds, bruised knees were scrapped trajectories of our own impetuousness and saddle-back oxfords held us to earth when outside the arms of angel-mother-wings. in formulated innocence love came disguised as Satan love came disguised as Heaven love came disguised love came inexpressibly love came in the whirl of insatiable emptiness. no explanation given to breathe fire when we danced, only to embrace loneliness, because it would be our oldest friend. dreams tease survival and mirrors hold the steamed truths of evaporating promises. no one ever told us we would spend our lives dying.