Knowledge

I once met a boy in a black coat
Everything he did was good and pure
Everything he did was sanctioned
The gods chose him above all others

I once met a boy in a white coat.
He was the image of life itself
He was also chosen by the gods
His purpose was unclear

The boy in the white coat taught me many things.
How to breathe, how to eat, how to sleep. How to survive.
I learned that roses hurt if you get too close
And sad songs are sadder when you're alone.
Dreams are irrelevant unless they have meaning
And knives feel sharper against the skin.

The boy in the white coat showed me things I had never seen before.
What the birds did in their nests
What the owls said at night.
What happens when a tree falls
How the bees made their honey.
Pale skin against a dark one
All the wonders of the world.

The boy in the black coat was mad. One day he took the boy in the white coat away and came back alone. I asked him about it and he never responded.

I had a dream from the gods today
It was about the boy in the white coat
His purpose had been fulfilled
Because now I know.
About the birds and the bees
And the roses and the trees
About life.
I know now.