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, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zf3v3r6Cm
These are the lessons life taught me.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeDotLa6Mq
I am no one- or maybe everyone?624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSyKdOtJWl
Just dust blowing in the wind624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPfZhYleyX
Get up, brush off, make it home again624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6JEKXghhq
Wake up, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvrAMqcCyM
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbOHt2wmQy
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3TrIbuSP6
They don't want you near624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZSWEafJVa
Not enough room, you can't play624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi10MzTPr2
They see you fall, laugh behind your back624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviB9ds1V1l
They watch from afar624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKGJJAoUtD
Putting on a mask624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DPzrRi7Np
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRji2advAHl
So let's play a game:624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhniQx3Zed
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlTMkXBUMx
Due to legs not quite right.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuFFyd8wPL
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjnzoKOPok
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUsHHDxwo2
I'm just a person to be nice to,624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7w9W9XDsqU
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeIcigBlE3
It says you need to be nice.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMIMXRkG4g
Wake up, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZaOGPyy2K
Get a couple scars - move on.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWF7h6ug3VB
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLyhJNyW89
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Rz42vU8j7
Love is always more complicated than it seems.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz52z0rFap
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHelh2YqXT
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrLONQZkic
Wake up, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaBd3Hi6xh
Go back, learn how it all ends624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN87jr5Blp
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovfjTfgpTt
And there is me, numb;624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bjeCyh4OD
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJqtkxbwB6
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIp5oMeKAE
For fear of being torn apart (again).624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DouKQt2YC
Leave the familiar, move away624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkERfYxo9n
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuQWDthOjp
Wake up, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeHkgbI1g3
Know this is who you were meant to be.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyk7KPw0X9
Find a home in a God you were told about624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNzLqFhieD
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYVBgncq3Q
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImkmcoTnIR
Find a way back to the road you once walked on624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIJDNEByPs
Make your own voice heard624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2RZPXipC3
These are lessons life taught me.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ac8Tk5Z2H
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2etvWdXfP
Under the weight of loneliness624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04aFlhO3H2
And a multitude of illnesses624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeZ5YTKhI0
Disabilities, and inconveniences.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Sy6PakwBs
But I woke up today, I breathed.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pDdMozVNb
I'm alive today.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZITm0T6B5G
These are the lessons life taught me.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvIuxf0Y2c
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSbppv1lai
Because now I know someday it gets better624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGF1Uvh6Nr
I haven't found love624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2U9pK0Bz4s
Or even that one special friend.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP4hBWFaNI
But someday I will.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoGH9YD896
These are the lessons life taught me624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMa8eSoXDvI
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlwpE763GU
With a battle leading with retreat;624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLioA4eyJSv
Those with their autoimmune diseases624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJS5pjyMUYR
Or cerebral palsy624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstbqXmTuJE
Or anything else624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgf6sxSnOb
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERQdJ7kCk6
Wake up, breathe624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiZHXTfm83
For release isn't an option.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeKPtNIMBN
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWUOQ6T5zT
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn624Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8gPVdU0iD
And so much more to see.
