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, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxS1wn76U8
These are the lessons life taught me.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzE4Vt7KTKo
I am no one- or maybe everyone?524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOBvPITt7P
Just dust blowing in the wind524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHY8YhoVtRV
Get up, brush off, make it home again524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4WJ7SAmct
Wake up, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CiIrrjvMo
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LuYkn8GVy
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnM0GBsE1x
They don't want you near524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFvdC6KfDr
Not enough room, you can't play524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrlS5Wp2Uq
They see you fall, laugh behind your back524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsAoRkjuTj
They watch from afar524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2OgN7RaiL
Putting on a mask524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjPkLoSjal
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTBD9bquJr
So let's play a game:524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF65n5VtMh2
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBI1dX3OHCW
Due to legs not quite right.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZa9wnX4O5
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxFaOCvNHJ
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFe6gnwws4
I'm just a person to be nice to,524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjI4gxO1v5b
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawmae4DKXo
It says you need to be nice.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qbfcdDKeA
Wake up, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xmJOHVJKr
Get a couple scars - move on.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAakRLIDQZ6
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX0QN2j9RH
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulxfXNUqwq
Love is always more complicated than it seems.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkmmTZOqti
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GiF1TE3u4
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvasjDKab7
Wake up, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHW22liElLy
Go back, learn how it all ends524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQtVfwD2nU
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv382vWaM9n
And there is me, numb;524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjr9yaNhFtf
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PrOpwGPG9
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3Ptlc03e3
For fear of being torn apart (again).524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFc7qzHdfU
Leave the familiar, move away524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIl7CqsiPgP
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6US8O8eRfw
Wake up, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YpFi4quO5
Know this is who you were meant to be.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6OKakvy6m
Find a home in a God you were told about524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCv543PKLM3
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gjSTdIsTW
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWoMQ5YMSIG
Find a way back to the road you once walked on524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCdm3sQtdT
Make your own voice heard524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXigLjpEtvP
These are lessons life taught me.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHWF4igHWC
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK8I4ouMY1
Under the weight of loneliness524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuQp2Fg7Pr
And a multitude of illnesses524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftEeYKOybC
Disabilities, and inconveniences.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ02e8LWmoMw
But I woke up today, I breathed.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0tsLnPIB8
I'm alive today.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH30w5SzQxF
These are the lessons life taught me.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWv1qlP915L
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEdVY5JL7e
Because now I know someday it gets better524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgzArwdFTi
I haven't found love524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabehW0ZlPY
Or even that one special friend.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9kxzWnuIl
But someday I will.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9KvsVy8C7
These are the lessons life taught me524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrInxV9lsWM
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBGxpsmgtm
With a battle leading with retreat;524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFAwfwJJ9t
Those with their autoimmune diseases524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGquSLP0mMR
Or cerebral palsy524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvda1iljgp3
Or anything else524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WxMA6866l
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhnx70q0I5
Wake up, breathe524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNtNNCp2nC
For release isn't an option.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdQ9NfazWK
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFUZHE6L3B
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn524Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwNE4TEvYK
And so much more to see.
