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, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWkuSOqNLF
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83cqq5Y9WS
I am no one- or maybe everyone?715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQU2QmYzhux
Just dust blowing in the wind715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF47pHRSV2l
Get up, brush off, make it home again715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuRpvfGR0x
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8FFliP5Td
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahE1vXGWV3
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBG3WGwQzf
They don't want you near715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriwoV77Fpg
Not enough room, you can't play715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoBvHItq7q
They see you fall, laugh behind your back715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQG4Yr4BVpu
They watch from afar715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuzVuv3Oy0
Putting on a mask715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWnwp5lXm1
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgk5T7rk0F
So let's play a game:715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya8i4JY5Dc
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcejGAGChcg
Due to legs not quite right.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoNsdM4pgE
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94lFdJEvbZ
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40pJcZjLvx
I'm just a person to be nice to,715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAxKIYkmxi
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16CpXiGSfI
It says you need to be nice.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeg0ZiLbs9Q
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pE4uaX2Yv
Get a couple scars - move on.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYATpcXpel
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AT0mWVAUj
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCDQ6M6e1H
Love is always more complicated than it seems.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtwmjpHfiw
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YxNl36mN9
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFx1N2uZh7
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLizoLlXeM
Go back, learn how it all ends715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2wACZ860w
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcp0oThL0Mj
And there is me, numb;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEDsvV0hDx
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RTdJu7FuG
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGBNIe0MMR
For fear of being torn apart (again).715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLokMfYFr5c
Leave the familiar, move away715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRC1t8Q1MT4
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1vEL6UUAo
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1OK264pkA
Know this is who you were meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATP7TWGx8Z
Find a home in a God you were told about715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XpoIVxQTj
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25X66uFjgM
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfwLhyOAil
Find a way back to the road you once walked on715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlhXxeK7eE
Make your own voice heard715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2D0xuMhxD
These are lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWVhYDPyn6
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fUpbXx939
Under the weight of loneliness715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1IJUTxjrk
And a multitude of illnesses715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmF36x269EE
Disabilities, and inconveniences.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45ljI8654b
But I woke up today, I breathed.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFVfMovQww
I'm alive today.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98tQABxLwD
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9heZk2KGe
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyiLya8gRc
Because now I know someday it gets better715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgO6FLXgEwm
I haven't found love715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hwyKcMrZG
Or even that one special friend.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG893UyeWP
But someday I will.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaEyXF99nk
These are the lessons life taught me715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfm2NJQ7s0
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qseVijVUB
With a battle leading with retreat;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7eN0YmE1b
Those with their autoimmune diseases715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyM4rgxi7WM
Or cerebral palsy715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLVHmjyc2n
Or anything else715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiurQcnUynr
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNB9LE1q3OD
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6Qf9rTJ7L
For release isn't an option.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2AgowqLjX
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYxFJtn8bD
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzT5oyGu9g
And so much more to see.
