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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqItgaNQ4ZZ
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoojDVKpVmv
I am no one- or maybe everyone?715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop3QsotzB4
Just dust blowing in the wind715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQKL5wGRcy
Get up, brush off, make it home again715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhnhbC5ZbL
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5RjPdNn3y
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpp9k7C0wD
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF99jSxK7e
They don't want you near715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM666eYFh1q
Not enough room, you can't play715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4aj3msfSx
They see you fall, laugh behind your back715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXCWHYmbtj
They watch from afar715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWxbPkeUTi
Putting on a mask715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6sFzT4UQH
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcVzKlGmRU9
So let's play a game:715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAPqt6JPtF
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiTcBfnmMm
Due to legs not quite right.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpcGAf1Tys
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH2GA0rNCm
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1svozU3ApB
I'm just a person to be nice to,715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8UyL6dxSB
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwpIZjjc1O
It says you need to be nice.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlFFK2s2SV
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidFTbj0GXj
Get a couple scars - move on.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwB6n5DTqa6
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8gQdXNBKl
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3U8atOLrv
Love is always more complicated than it seems.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1YnpkXTDz
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0QTIDPUCX
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8CSZKmFYG
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzGsutmdnj
Go back, learn how it all ends715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0jFlZxWPV
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqj6EKGGmo
And there is me, numb;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyG0YqrB261
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47DuNf9wUj
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH8PsAHc7H
For fear of being torn apart (again).715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRK7zCgaoey
Leave the familiar, move away715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMk0RtQJ2G5
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXE1QhOlrw
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9v1NsixHx
Know this is who you were meant to be.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc12niWeqb
Find a home in a God you were told about715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDq6L4JgH2
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQL11GGn7w
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtyg7EEm71
Find a way back to the road you once walked on715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BajArtfuc
Make your own voice heard715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqx19sDqJa
These are lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhyym3kM8L
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22frET3XxZ
Under the weight of loneliness715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGP4dSgNULs
And a multitude of illnesses715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9wvLMmP78
Disabilities, and inconveniences.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fWXyEZprp
But I woke up today, I breathed.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVwFVdIeJV
I'm alive today.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYn2moyWHlF
These are the lessons life taught me.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4zDt5girb
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxpMDRFlh9
Because now I know someday it gets better715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTJIk9qhRY
I haven't found love715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOEk7oSM2h
Or even that one special friend.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXz7S9oD6UC
But someday I will.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZe4p2yksS
These are the lessons life taught me715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cpg0zv5dS
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqU2KdUJsK
With a battle leading with retreat;715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUJrs3sAos
Those with their autoimmune diseases715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EhFGc8mRW
Or cerebral palsy715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltb2Kitx2B
Or anything else715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaagbf39BK
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRW3dISs8b
Wake up, breathe715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lhSCzINHw
For release isn't an option.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG8FKagVpJ8
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMnbeQwf6p
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn715Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JMtfqwoMz
And so much more to see.
