wild grown without assistance,

guidance was an idea read

in the pages of texts as ancient

as the institution we had rebelled against.

yet, we found our way

new representations of improved-upon ideas

not contained within the pages

of our reading assignments.

only to find we had become the subjects

of our children's course itineraries

the very thing we derived meaning from not becoming

was the very disease that snuck in unnoticed

and bitchslapped our faces with a condescending laugh.