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, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkY9TT1Y75
These are the lessons life taught me.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBzy3XHMWN
I am no one- or maybe everyone?555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YuOVYSYYZ
Just dust blowing in the wind555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26QsQ0gdhv
Get up, brush off, make it home again555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rL1R1ohOH
Wake up, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5ncIaOcDB
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvXjxaVmwY
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8jLqLgyic
They don't want you near555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQK0KaGDkm
Not enough room, you can't play555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrqVBsSH0l
They see you fall, laugh behind your back555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QdyDvzaCX
They watch from afar555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7fk3cxYbD
Putting on a mask555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNm1ehRS2S
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzu62HHzps
So let's play a game:555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8C4bu57bW
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2KrBe5urF
Due to legs not quite right.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA1f3NacZZ
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdyB1VEmFz
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Jklbsgklr
I'm just a person to be nice to,555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlJgsEHLzG
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5YlbTIMfk6
It says you need to be nice.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZIFjjy1sC
Wake up, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3uGfJERm5
Get a couple scars - move on.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGOba5ba57
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNU5weD0lo
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQfzjcLMxq
Love is always more complicated than it seems.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rdhxLpUey
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19O9NP9Q37
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3qCgnBw8W
Wake up, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKBi4f0c9E
Go back, learn how it all ends555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPondwHlLpu
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwc0sVZVGQ
And there is me, numb;555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWKkgXF8Zr
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ilwux74oY
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZBQQBviTn
For fear of being torn apart (again).555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBWOwZcHCW
Leave the familiar, move away555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlTsslteI1
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5QPuwqHdK
Wake up, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCTTRI5wNS
Know this is who you were meant to be.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBltyl2Q6H
Find a home in a God you were told about555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeaTBNuJnX
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWMkYDNUM8
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl52a5GUDFm
Find a way back to the road you once walked on555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjPSzEquvv
Make your own voice heard555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqwTkstTFn
These are lessons life taught me.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkd5r8uNBC
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWULAKTesv
Under the weight of loneliness555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvrmUxuytX
And a multitude of illnesses555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjQk8KhZkC
Disabilities, and inconveniences.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTgKwAHhQd
But I woke up today, I breathed.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJVgbJbw8Y
I'm alive today.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3UhKmA3sD
These are the lessons life taught me.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaJEZGN2WA
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBAiFKPAjA
Because now I know someday it gets better555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5stVS9D2GT
I haven't found love555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStYPLLQLOD
Or even that one special friend.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFxWAaUReN
But someday I will.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoGOyINI29
These are the lessons life taught me555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcLjChRODJB
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpQWyPE1Bb
With a battle leading with retreat;555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV86vwDFfQ
Those with their autoimmune diseases555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8IFMkPTGZ
Or cerebral palsy555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvPJzmTzd1
Or anything else555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzqNVZsOiB
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVx9Ty9FfB
Wake up, breathe555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGAh1uZHBA
For release isn't an option.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xlgcalQUL
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaI3wcGM8g
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn555Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzaqsiCfo9
And so much more to see.
