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, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2oNMB8wtI
These are the lessons life taught me.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofZAb94FXb
I am no one- or maybe everyone?667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYCq7yj5wO
Just dust blowing in the wind667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByBJ2bFaPj
Get up, brush off, make it home again667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3MdFGiouq
Wake up, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9QkjEHEsa
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmLWF9vGh6
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuuRnG9MtK
They don't want you near667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XJMiDVirj
Not enough room, you can't play667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UGdzlQmbo
They see you fall, laugh behind your back667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LhJiJNHxR
They watch from afar667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUyPtbDxTz
Putting on a mask667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlN9rYooah
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrhQOv58fE
So let's play a game:667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2Gm3QtiKw
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwP6EzmuEc7
Due to legs not quite right.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtc5Eaw5gaL
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSF3VMmG4CY
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYNhbl8cmV
I'm just a person to be nice to,667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaQriayGH6
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN74WNWELY
It says you need to be nice.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rZfHWSVzl
Wake up, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMLcLxNzgi
Get a couple scars - move on.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOzrQZOI1s
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicylsdV1Oh
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡon7wrCzhwz
Love is always more complicated than it seems.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtr7j12Rf7q
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddPwbEcuI0
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fKqUF53EI
Wake up, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwraqqFT6rC
Go back, learn how it all ends667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNcXyyA1863
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡva3ozIfceS
And there is me, numb;667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J84aHJfcq
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUrG9LAko1
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCNN09YhWW
For fear of being torn apart (again).667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqtNuAbBTu
Leave the familiar, move away667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAlkwJkm7B
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFBZtIuIBn
Wake up, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHmR467Mb5
Know this is who you were meant to be.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBDuvfSXeX
Find a home in a God you were told about667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAuD1uPQy1
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnybVh1xUOt
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMhC1jC2jZ
Find a way back to the road you once walked on667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKqgbKCWoj
Make your own voice heard667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazInoSPkyW
These are lessons life taught me.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehARyHxGj7
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUklqlpBOd
Under the weight of loneliness667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FL2wxhiZX
And a multitude of illnesses667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHZpj5Zvrva
Disabilities, and inconveniences.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzpBc0iFcw
But I woke up today, I breathed.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZlUInGlIB
I'm alive today.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcB59XbPhz3
These are the lessons life taught me.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAi6aFbZZlR
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5q3CiZWch
Because now I know someday it gets better667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6f9Vu1ShQj
I haven't found love667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BXEBlWQRQ
Or even that one special friend.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡby8HXA4Czx
But someday I will.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQb3wEEiK0m
These are the lessons life taught me667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJf8f8tfuuy
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfnptmCv40
With a battle leading with retreat;667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuqKxjXqNv
Those with their autoimmune diseases667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtR5YhvMDsQ
Or cerebral palsy667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vSO3QnujW
Or anything else667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiA3bNU1mz
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT09ymU1arW
Wake up, breathe667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgGn8BcZIT
For release isn't an option.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCpgZBjS3u
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId2MH28Jsj
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn667Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzqkvmzhfs
And so much more to see.
