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, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANAKkSfi4iCZV
These are the lessons life taught me.707Please respect copyright.PENANAxjaZVrT8Fj
I am no one- or maybe everyone?707Please respect copyright.PENANAMqQBJrIUxN
Just dust blowing in the wind707Please respect copyright.PENANAcNrBueDLIL
Get up, brush off, make it home again707Please respect copyright.PENANAGhIJ9uFpgC
Wake up, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANAxDN7GMaU5w
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears707Please respect copyright.PENANAqV30ZIJt3P
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey707Please respect copyright.PENANAmAZsyb8oz3
They don't want you near707Please respect copyright.PENANAOfBBPO6doz
Not enough room, you can't play707Please respect copyright.PENANAte3qVMpMLh
They see you fall, laugh behind your back707Please respect copyright.PENANAkhBUN42qN4
They watch from afar707Please respect copyright.PENANAh8IDzmitot
Putting on a mask707Please respect copyright.PENANATdIzpTqBU8
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"707Please respect copyright.PENANAMurskXraQm
So let's play a game:707Please respect copyright.PENANALaZVL5Nujl
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around707Please respect copyright.PENANAlgRmMKx1eG
Due to legs not quite right.707Please respect copyright.PENANAjToAtB7sJT
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"707Please respect copyright.PENANAFIjYflnzk4
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.707Please respect copyright.PENANAs0WyHz9xVt
I'm just a person to be nice to,707Please respect copyright.PENANAO6gzcEmdOv
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society707Please respect copyright.PENANAjz0J4b3VaX
It says you need to be nice.707Please respect copyright.PENANAafzprsPfPk
Wake up, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANActrJsRWvSM
Get a couple scars - move on.707Please respect copyright.PENANA2rpqInqAVC
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning707Please respect copyright.PENANAS7Svn9pamS
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.707Please respect copyright.PENANAy0uHg96Xja
Love is always more complicated than it seems.707Please respect copyright.PENANAf2NDxO5oxv
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.707Please respect copyright.PENANA0OMTqeavkE
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.707Please respect copyright.PENANAqvr3fOWNJ0
Wake up, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANAMyYw9OIjRB
Go back, learn how it all ends707Please respect copyright.PENANAOZCbda35Du
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone707Please respect copyright.PENANAg6eWd9jKk6
And there is me, numb;707Please respect copyright.PENANAX9NbbvNuLi
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.707Please respect copyright.PENANAM0xtlUWnwO
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.707Please respect copyright.PENANAM0OnEUUkf5
For fear of being torn apart (again).707Please respect copyright.PENANAZWI9nLkyKW
Leave the familiar, move away707Please respect copyright.PENANAPt083hLU33
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.707Please respect copyright.PENANAcQ2ZQhDK0O
Wake up, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANAhKqAvE22Kr
Know this is who you were meant to be.707Please respect copyright.PENANAA0aRdk9QTj
Find a home in a God you were told about707Please respect copyright.PENANAgkoSxIPwZ6
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed707Please respect copyright.PENANARBW5LX80uc
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.707Please respect copyright.PENANArMr83EnWIX
Find a way back to the road you once walked on707Please respect copyright.PENANAuncOd9io92
Make your own voice heard707Please respect copyright.PENANAky2GMyY95Y
These are lessons life taught me.707Please respect copyright.PENANAd4AL4cCkxO
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling707Please respect copyright.PENANAbZf0QD4lqg
Under the weight of loneliness707Please respect copyright.PENANADeiBtwrV2d
And a multitude of illnesses707Please respect copyright.PENANAW8jdSsNLLs
Disabilities, and inconveniences.707Please respect copyright.PENANAJsKmwTP34s
But I woke up today, I breathed.707Please respect copyright.PENANAqwjtJB5NbE
I'm alive today.707Please respect copyright.PENANAD8TKuRxyw7
These are the lessons life taught me.707Please respect copyright.PENANAq7BcKp7Z3k
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.707Please respect copyright.PENANAWoWK1noZdf
Because now I know someday it gets better707Please respect copyright.PENANAHtnTXZav4c
I haven't found love707Please respect copyright.PENANAgS9qyTuObD
Or even that one special friend.707Please respect copyright.PENANASAqDxWAQm9
But someday I will.707Please respect copyright.PENANApT17enuwGN
These are the lessons life taught me707Please respect copyright.PENANAtB0uGCWTtu
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.707Please respect copyright.PENANAiD88qVSi5h
With a battle leading with retreat;707Please respect copyright.PENANAkR1BRa4j2J
Those with their autoimmune diseases707Please respect copyright.PENANAByo9JFuwoB
Or cerebral palsy707Please respect copyright.PENANAMIYOJCL3rX
Or anything else707Please respect copyright.PENANAbKBigPVB4T
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.707Please respect copyright.PENANAlO8LF2sabr
Wake up, breathe707Please respect copyright.PENANAUopFjI5pvU
For release isn't an option.707Please respect copyright.PENANA6jdaPF3g0v
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.707Please respect copyright.PENANAi75azVxvyD
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn707Please respect copyright.PENANA1eZf610tiY
And so much more to see.