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, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvI3ZLrekQ
These are the lessons life taught me.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbB0J6zgiI
I am no one- or maybe everyone?618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMOhINpRrb
Just dust blowing in the wind618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxxYEOwfzs
Get up, brush off, make it home again618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEpumQKLgQ
Wake up, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxPwVlgVI4
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh17V76TZNY
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYv2FEqT3H
They don't want you near618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g7vpIvZ1q
Not enough room, you can't play618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVlBtR6eh6
They see you fall, laugh behind your back618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3jZ50QjIS
They watch from afar618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0VthgY9qC
Putting on a mask618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshSvD7DrAX
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhm4Em4g9x
So let's play a game:618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkbCqYCyRn
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3MQYllDfu
Due to legs not quite right.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDho59NESL
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHh3hrFL1Mi
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPr8p6kgp2G
I'm just a person to be nice to,618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZWSbbrH27
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVjh1XYauD
It says you need to be nice.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgpb0aQ5kI
Wake up, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqYuPUzlzd
Get a couple scars - move on.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKs8JEH3zUw
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YeTn01DjR
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsFN4Tc9kK
Love is always more complicated than it seems.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbB2bJ8vUtB
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdVLG1z3jD
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRH5bhLc6x
Wake up, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGxKveDXfr
Go back, learn how it all ends618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEIH1zlnGK
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeU41xa525l
And there is me, numb;618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPFmeXAoB0
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wTOrxwKPg
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjOwMGwu3S
For fear of being torn apart (again).618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9HPhuSeDi
Leave the familiar, move away618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPAAQC9fq2S
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KdGLSpXIu
Wake up, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlFGLXvacp
Know this is who you were meant to be.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7drlULOnTs
Find a home in a God you were told about618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK66nNv745A
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡId1FEeWhdm
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPhlT60pS6
Find a way back to the road you once walked on618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWeyUuXX8F
Make your own voice heard618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWrq0ctxYl
These are lessons life taught me.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimUuqon7aC
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmlQLmcu8A
Under the weight of loneliness618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpP9KHhCa6K
And a multitude of illnesses618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GgL30a34u
Disabilities, and inconveniences.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKy1IOE14J
But I woke up today, I breathed.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fx4EVCQna
I'm alive today.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhJ7J9zyhS
These are the lessons life taught me.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkBMa93rkO
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6Ia1dcJS8
Because now I know someday it gets better618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQIdH1rYFB
I haven't found love618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfB1Dw6Zx8
Or even that one special friend.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIt2ow0Fzl
But someday I will.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVXSW18mmb
These are the lessons life taught me618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrAsOkd3rI
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4w5rbpIX7J
With a battle leading with retreat;618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywBBLjBWyv
Those with their autoimmune diseases618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAJdlSRTAq
Or cerebral palsy618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8g8XXNLqbS
Or anything else618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQp9NSImk3
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8cXuXAPID
Wake up, breathe618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMU3GqyLidd
For release isn't an option.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcpn3OsLW0
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyFPyBroio
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn618Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUchaYUJFb2
And so much more to see.
