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, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDDNszjSgB
These are the lessons life taught me.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KruI6sL3f
I am no one- or maybe everyone?664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDBrsEil8R
Just dust blowing in the wind664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4M7r1MmKR
Get up, brush off, make it home again664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnLoUKsKDq
Wake up, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6t1kXBhmw
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8ylas3UBb
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHn675jF4sr
They don't want you near664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3Md3GFdFB
Not enough room, you can't play664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJCnq1bRkh
They see you fall, laugh behind your back664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JToF4JwHn
They watch from afar664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5y0DMNxTI
Putting on a mask664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct6lAMrfvC
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBZlJBBw2A
So let's play a game:664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzpzaLwL50
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7s4yC6cjVj
Due to legs not quite right.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkbNkTQrtQ
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4scvvaCv4
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNWVqPuvRM
I'm just a person to be nice to,664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEauCIhle85
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgtMi1QuJy
It says you need to be nice.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAV6WBLv8KQ
Wake up, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0H15cnetY
Get a couple scars - move on.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBiJjSA8wc
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5NctyB3Ec
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJ9rxZDMOc
Love is always more complicated than it seems.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOozz0dMdzC
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡykoNZ6U1Wl
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGsxcnPsVf
Wake up, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7EzeikYg3
Go back, learn how it all ends664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWce3xPoXe
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgLbXWVlbc
And there is me, numb;664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHj7Oklebz
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPSEm6HJvY
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rFCTZdWDw
For fear of being torn apart (again).664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXBT8tXWK5
Leave the familiar, move away664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynK4NRTqAi
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwaSEHyyPQK
Wake up, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgJiuP8FLs
Know this is who you were meant to be.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8Bwrzkd9N
Find a home in a God you were told about664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGGh9T3hgK
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaOOjQp4Fc
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TqYBpx7Gy
Find a way back to the road you once walked on664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLyOOTkTxFp
Make your own voice heard664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBsPcHZEsK
These are lessons life taught me.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkBnjQ13rs
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡns9vwbU9S2
Under the weight of loneliness664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfuPZgaaMl
And a multitude of illnesses664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2gZIJHPNJ
Disabilities, and inconveniences.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1bZCOVxgC
But I woke up today, I breathed.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHi5ZJS4Sl
I'm alive today.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcFW6y4Vdn
These are the lessons life taught me.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbhBfmgkWX
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zbF3tyWsP
Because now I know someday it gets better664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcvfHAjfu2
I haven't found love664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmry2WGfqH
Or even that one special friend.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaEVrSMGFP
But someday I will.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh454WdLzsq
These are the lessons life taught me664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrGiQqkrKo
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyzVHu0kxk
With a battle leading with retreat;664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84jV3w2j1G
Those with their autoimmune diseases664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaqosPM5RG
Or cerebral palsy664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfejUfw766y
Or anything else664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT00lUBGWei
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEFuH3tTuc
Wake up, breathe664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDTR39TkTm
For release isn't an option.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmMIf8Uxfi
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cn8UQ1O4t
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn664Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5hWfGAVsb
And so much more to see.
