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, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cOtIi8Rtl
These are the lessons life taught me.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQZHQS7saH
I am no one- or maybe everyone?687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfPtXJ8dX7
Just dust blowing in the wind687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHQVK1fnLw
Get up, brush off, make it home again687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYZYcfBhFr
Wake up, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4KrCxJ4pj
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefVZXNHmF0
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyovWKjeMMY
They don't want you near687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkVfkLjjCm
Not enough room, you can't play687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF67nNPNglw
They see you fall, laugh behind your back687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMW4l1yHNw
They watch from afar687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGN59dzhlz
Putting on a mask687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4C5zH9Pmyi
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlu9LzXybZ
So let's play a game:687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGrHzxeKmc
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HiB1EK2bx
Due to legs not quite right.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eWMWunCSm
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8RCDowP3Z
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5PyN1awBA
I'm just a person to be nice to,687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpMNz1YIWJ
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTP1DPFZ8yB
It says you need to be nice.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRysQKWK0A8
Wake up, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hjLYWkKk1
Get a couple scars - move on.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH3p3wstOo
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7MB7TJwlB
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo7C4xN5XC
Love is always more complicated than it seems.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM64iP0Awc1
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm0S4QBmfi
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZz86mEcot
Wake up, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoxRiP7xHc
Go back, learn how it all ends687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXdXTVlQ06
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2cONN02ca
And there is me, numb;687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8b9UOGG0N
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1NikD7sYu
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLXvKTyFR4
For fear of being torn apart (again).687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2JPogokbn
Leave the familiar, move away687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYVPPX5G3t
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM2OI9rVvg
Wake up, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszRCTTohkX
Know this is who you were meant to be.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENNiPJol98
Find a home in a God you were told about687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8k67XJabU
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZNXJQ36fP
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXohE4hOjmk
Find a way back to the road you once walked on687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytkxrtPF1x
Make your own voice heard687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh8qWSdLFu
These are lessons life taught me.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzDU49CXCQ
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWEc98RbRX
Under the weight of loneliness687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0DxVQ9C0E
And a multitude of illnesses687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75glU5hF0A
Disabilities, and inconveniences.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmfyJla2p3
But I woke up today, I breathed.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkFWj4JJYG
I'm alive today.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8Llas3JWt
These are the lessons life taught me.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ELoPPCuYV
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXycFKbf9J
Because now I know someday it gets better687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq488V15NUO
I haven't found love687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfXYUiQMb4
Or even that one special friend.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlyVS0M2CO
But someday I will.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTGd2zIyAl
These are the lessons life taught me687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEuBa5I4w1
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyX0CMckPEq
With a battle leading with retreat;687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM4ldtDlhU
Those with their autoimmune diseases687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oKBERF5PT
Or cerebral palsy687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IVBZ5PuLp
Or anything else687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLuy9qi9Z6
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzR7dAnGeS
Wake up, breathe687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjxMlHad8I
For release isn't an option.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIigJ0etqG
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfb3nVdIjB
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn687Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sl8iOjL0S
And so much more to see.
