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, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjB5R7AHbS1
These are the lessons life taught me.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcjEQsoSzw
I am no one- or maybe everyone?708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDRZHOqzHH
Just dust blowing in the wind708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXP4FRyiv9
Get up, brush off, make it home again708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS23bY2OBDh
Wake up, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpqMHNxkqG
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcujlG8fnlZ
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpAAwTUZ21
They don't want you near708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZ6L0j3F4Y
Not enough room, you can't play708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mTmkeHfbc
They see you fall, laugh behind your back708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyxxwPY2cX
They watch from afar708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7Xy0SWgb9
Putting on a mask708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFly9fPSaS
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrg9Ef0pT9
So let's play a game:708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3Dx1n4cZ3
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV3OxgHrcwR
Due to legs not quite right.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCWKrAtbXM
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYVxVekkVr
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNalbtxVoff
I'm just a person to be nice to,708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDFxri56Do
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPhmfoXMAT
It says you need to be nice.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLPUDNEm1G
Wake up, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZQ5NbCPLh
Get a couple scars - move on.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaJUKVVIQS
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25dUvuGptJ
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPpXX0JN1Z
Love is always more complicated than it seems.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWr5kt5hlF
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2mBwbf3L9
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQLiTsQz2K
Wake up, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d10tThjDy
Go back, learn how it all ends708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpdFPouR7s
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dudYA0hPU
And there is me, numb;708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHgbxfr05e
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ864przRDhN
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiwq7gWzpd
For fear of being torn apart (again).708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3TjlbKl0e
Leave the familiar, move away708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKu58zYGpV
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAik2UDhch
Wake up, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQNZU2rqhm
Know this is who you were meant to be.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK2wnz70YO
Find a home in a God you were told about708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly0BhxI6Ei
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UULc5ssSJ
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd8xKFs8Mq
Find a way back to the road you once walked on708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrKfYKivpI
Make your own voice heard708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl1hgp66C0
These are lessons life taught me.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVCOzgXrC7
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnISyqBTMe
Under the weight of loneliness708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQmogKaD7u
And a multitude of illnesses708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Li0fWGSMp
Disabilities, and inconveniences.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXUN4iCY841
But I woke up today, I breathed.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNFjiZjg7F
I'm alive today.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUCBsmfhDt
These are the lessons life taught me.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbReiocNhlI
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSv0KOGLenU
Because now I know someday it gets better708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvOzIKwb9A
I haven't found love708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwRjD4OtxK
Or even that one special friend.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKhr2F3bvhg
But someday I will.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZoIiPefgzm
These are the lessons life taught me708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0fN94S6Qr
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVRXlP5cTk
With a battle leading with retreat;708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZK2676Yf0
Those with their autoimmune diseases708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcomKOp6KYb
Or cerebral palsy708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXjYpf9Mot
Or anything else708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnI6psrMxWT
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92YloUeB9r
Wake up, breathe708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNkzU5dYJv
For release isn't an option.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ358UyqQABP
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMRrXNyX4o
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMrJHIm8uI
And so much more to see.
