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, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLRZ0bI6WK
These are the lessons life taught me.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kxoln92qi
I am no one- or maybe everyone?590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNFoI198Xo
Just dust blowing in the wind590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HQxxtYJWW
Get up, brush off, make it home again590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImmsDjBzc4
Wake up, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8Y97hHsW1
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0GULW5TdI
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFYm0Py6Zi
They don't want you near590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXi8cg5Dg5Q
Not enough room, you can't play590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwy23EkOBLu
They see you fall, laugh behind your back590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQqrUFomxF
They watch from afar590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYatbUcCPZ
Putting on a mask590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObHn73DChD
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dwgYQxGk8
So let's play a game:590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEQWYTiFeX
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvInLdJUWIH
Due to legs not quite right.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftkZTLzY7T
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsByoJroZZ4
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4ZZlJhGLE
I'm just a person to be nice to,590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ9qIoUy2z
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbE9itDYJFe
It says you need to be nice.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yd0mrwpmg
Wake up, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvYrJE4ZtP
Get a couple scars - move on.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkcuYAShE5
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrXAH1SAmD
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkJZWfcDrS
Love is always more complicated than it seems.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jb8xzXug4
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bNnZNMOIN
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBf0s1lWi2
Wake up, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmZB5gDu69
Go back, learn how it all ends590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPHDp68Qq2
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdp4mmRxVX
And there is me, numb;590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FDpHTMMGA
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsMGovLrgI
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOS6zT2wIv
For fear of being torn apart (again).590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡicYl7nFWQc
Leave the familiar, move away590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDAkxzcUlx
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbyjLvC93m
Wake up, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiEvPpshOv
Know this is who you were meant to be.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbENTIoMp5Y
Find a home in a God you were told about590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DomLpeD9a
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBSAn1oP8g
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK71ziHghCn
Find a way back to the road you once walked on590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzP0439om2
Make your own voice heard590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPXXN0jNzX
These are lessons life taught me.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ694uMpWXVA
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZs1Qb6pNf
Under the weight of loneliness590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrcGltbmKk
And a multitude of illnesses590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUl1kyeRO4J
Disabilities, and inconveniences.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBP5QQdHscj
But I woke up today, I breathed.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrikFJTlvJ
I'm alive today.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAZP27Uhp5
These are the lessons life taught me.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXTsIc6quU
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxRQyqG3wJ
Because now I know someday it gets better590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZkJqjOYRy
I haven't found love590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIqSrTi9fO
Or even that one special friend.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtYUfpKcEW3
But someday I will.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhy2wewXfRg
These are the lessons life taught me590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCInxneFAi
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAglDAVUaj
With a battle leading with retreat;590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlOP85VMyZ
Those with their autoimmune diseases590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsQRTjlfQR
Or cerebral palsy590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1wfTg9ovi
Or anything else590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXaZFIDXtS
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sBY944gO1
Wake up, breathe590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQU81Gv6Ak
For release isn't an option.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqPlYXRpZa
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXF3xiNAZh
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn590Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvLWzG39y6
And so much more to see.
