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, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlscxnUpcQ
These are the lessons life taught me.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxem9BSebv
I am no one- or maybe everyone?622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYI0JxNlJo9
Just dust blowing in the wind622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT3p8S0KYy
Get up, brush off, make it home again622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKHXJYaTXU
Wake up, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQXkF2ly15
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1SHDJI0AD
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVlJanpy1q
They don't want you near622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLQ5iJngER
Not enough room, you can't play622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tIAGXJMii
They see you fall, laugh behind your back622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGC0OGDrNE
They watch from afar622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7spfVgYRkV
Putting on a mask622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwQ5yGUWNT
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9sKc2OLo0
So let's play a game:622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFWujQQIBA
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfP61kqoJq
Due to legs not quite right.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhRkJwxnC6
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp03EAbxHIR
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lN662OQi0
I'm just a person to be nice to,622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin6Zn4MNWl
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOgdpfg6eG
It says you need to be nice.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxCdHV2UkW
Wake up, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV31iqvosA3
Get a couple scars - move on.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZfYeGkMNA
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEf8w9PIAW
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ1p38hiAz
Love is always more complicated than it seems.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LVj6kKyl1
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GzHiDbEI3
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW19hpFaGEF
Wake up, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziOFeyaVlq
Go back, learn how it all ends622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pKCTvwOEy
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcgeMDX4bx
And there is me, numb;622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAC85aZMSc
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0UVFnWBGm
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTXvwY0LTg
For fear of being torn apart (again).622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKGveSHtGl
Leave the familiar, move away622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9PBOZB169
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6tWAKgcQ1
Wake up, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGWa9pVczX
Know this is who you were meant to be.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZUdxfun8d
Find a home in a God you were told about622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dRNhey0Ym
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvuODNCCW1
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfPuSBuqhDE
Find a way back to the road you once walked on622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrql2SprVe7
Make your own voice heard622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpS0wYCYQju
These are lessons life taught me.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLhqlqn4ga
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLJALys9Ql
Under the weight of loneliness622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNCcGILf9K
And a multitude of illnesses622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHkBsU59TF
Disabilities, and inconveniences.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuRF3eHCPz
But I woke up today, I breathed.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5JO0DCF3N
I'm alive today.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkK5Suuoh4
These are the lessons life taught me.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUP5fPzrc7W
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwIGx7dzLz
Because now I know someday it gets better622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZqnL3HoPL
I haven't found love622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNUDXonguF
Or even that one special friend.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcnKCBVV9d
But someday I will.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhGnnlpJXT
These are the lessons life taught me622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf02rWiZcqf
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbycxSFS8G
With a battle leading with retreat;622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w4iCCogw7
Those with their autoimmune diseases622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp38W8blIDe
Or cerebral palsy622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgeyUAvSgBs
Or anything else622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGk0Zhfz4Fw
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAshSOj4OFV
Wake up, breathe622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyii0lHnnf
For release isn't an option.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPykU0NTdU2
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18jUSkMHan
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn622Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMPECo8Tcu
And so much more to see.
