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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBdlVgAwH8
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cgEO3jPXw
I am no one- or maybe everyone?715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AezombPq8
Just dust blowing in the wind715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAnb6i3HaI8
Get up, brush off, make it home again715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Xyaeapq1j
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcqt44b4HF
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeRwby8iYy
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyK2EkBQ05
They don't want you near715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeiMcEHegNl
Not enough room, you can't play715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSWgKraR6e
They see you fall, laugh behind your back715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6tzchQgqu
They watch from afar715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMFiHQe0pe
Putting on a mask715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2WaC9w7LK
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVTxzJOKjU
So let's play a game:715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZM9CWjiAf
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0DzWH6tPD
Due to legs not quite right.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaokljSvlsk
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHOBzGfFwK
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklBmGX0Nip
I'm just a person to be nice to,715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedm0ukUvjx
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVao5XvBX3
It says you need to be nice.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHT6rffHWwU
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0j170zVYSz
Get a couple scars - move on.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9GvIfyxIs
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTg1ypRFAN
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1BMIsuiDQ
Love is always more complicated than it seems.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTkmFN1dHY
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHBn5PaVjR
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwk2EyZ0NRQ
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAoD2IZ5NS
Go back, learn how it all ends715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxKj8MODYy
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WeByeRKBH
And there is me, numb;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ4JqRB8yo
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡloZF8SWwaq
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVxxENv0lW
For fear of being torn apart (again).715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W9CCgd1yo
Leave the familiar, move away715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlpSpOJjvv
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdktwm1Fai
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUatKXcL1R
Know this is who you were meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJY0B4OJkH
Find a home in a God you were told about715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpfbzyxNkT
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4H2LR24YNo
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLcIOXJ0XQ
Find a way back to the road you once walked on715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzMwauEygI
Make your own voice heard715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGy8YwtT1sg
These are lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7igE2u4vz
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIS17KL8HI
Under the weight of loneliness715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7c07SBNSNE
And a multitude of illnesses715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOdB7M8lCI
Disabilities, and inconveniences.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydkVmzHWAd
But I woke up today, I breathed.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuo4OpozLZ
I'm alive today.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPWNkfsm30
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBAC4BwudU
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjbODaRtii
Because now I know someday it gets better715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7Oz4CMO2h
I haven't found love715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dKDCcdrVQ
Or even that one special friend.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTS1vIAAnXD
But someday I will.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSngLh659e
These are the lessons life taught me715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVE7MH1j8b
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxnVy1Mps8
With a battle leading with retreat;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOX5Godbzo
Those with their autoimmune diseases715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6YmZmGnMQ
Or cerebral palsy715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrkkzYYKw6
Or anything else715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtArzx2NNKV
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYSqjTUPnq
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFL4dfzK1U
For release isn't an option.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiL4vZMzkv
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdm2qkb0zli
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjINgYnFfg
And so much more to see.
