This poem was originally written as a college spoken word poem for an art showcase night. Though it is not officially part of the In Isolation project, I did re-work this poem and get it back on to my laptop while in this quarantine, so I am publishing it here.
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdE1xWUJ7G
These are the lessons life taught me.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWeO9sYZZA
I am no one- or maybe everyone?709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJXM237wOi
Just dust blowing in the wind709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiNtL8KC5j
Get up, brush off, make it home again709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszLKYua0mm
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhuHwBLUog
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQ4p2J7sS0
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhomrulkmSs
They don't want you near709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPePpO2dTJ
Not enough room, you can't play709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlldm4hoju8
They see you fall, laugh behind your back709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLLSju6Cuz
They watch from afar709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡji6BQzES7g
Putting on a mask709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9H3GM3ksQq
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVtjY2XtdM
So let's play a game:709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsxlT0hDzm
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8xIE9bHCSK
Due to legs not quite right.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6danx5kGX4
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMhmpP4B9L
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvj1ZM0rCSd
I'm just a person to be nice to,709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZC5YdZbftZ
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnVYgrWo78
It says you need to be nice.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOIcMerqHO
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQElrvx51bC
Get a couple scars - move on.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGjr2cnpkT
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuf75BIMDYN
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPUtMtPf9R
Love is always more complicated than it seems.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡus6JEyS1nw
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYG4kgABCBN
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLv3wyiSuag
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7FbNLlgB8
Go back, learn how it all ends709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhf9V3LeLFx
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dNl0o1IGs
And there is me, numb;709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YZxEvyUQJ
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO4GOuSXAL
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUTdxoYB4i
For fear of being torn apart (again).709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp5gS7bIeU
Leave the familiar, move away709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpuNVLMIrS
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8GoOvNiL0
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxstp9M10xy
Know this is who you were meant to be.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDFsFLcAjA
Find a home in a God you were told about709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUvpSafOcx
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ46Ld2EyqU
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFipm0p284
Find a way back to the road you once walked on709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbfZuvy614
Make your own voice heard709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYF8gZB9ZPX
These are lessons life taught me.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcrjsdmNlE
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXjYI7PTlB
Under the weight of loneliness709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT8uWYZdiL
And a multitude of illnesses709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62im49e9Mg
Disabilities, and inconveniences.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOVQ1dARGR
But I woke up today, I breathed.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFVfkvRosH
I'm alive today.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUVvesz5db
These are the lessons life taught me.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiiuMtXlMx
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyDZbzqUtQ0
Because now I know someday it gets better709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgYQfMHLYV
I haven't found love709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvj4fOWZYU
Or even that one special friend.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcYmklyvBs
But someday I will.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLME2dAp0C2
These are the lessons life taught me709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusCOcnmrOS
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLQL8dP9H1
With a battle leading with retreat;709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsyzVjDPJxd
Those with their autoimmune diseases709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrFwiLA20P
Or cerebral palsy709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyNGWP3QIx
Or anything else709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YWEtdMF0W
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOahYHJeXsV
Wake up, breathe709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAG0ZnfaPU
For release isn't an option.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ro0HWerx1
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2GExqi15I
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoxlPGF0t1
And so much more to see.
