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, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANAt3piou9mj1
These are the lessons life taught me.457Please respect copyright.PENANAxgGL1lRj8I
I am no one- or maybe everyone?457Please respect copyright.PENANAYVRGKhNl9W
Just dust blowing in the wind457Please respect copyright.PENANAvDEGS0YytQ
Get up, brush off, make it home again457Please respect copyright.PENANAleVYNAHgQD
Wake up, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANABz1ihwkkJ4
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears457Please respect copyright.PENANAEGNSpqOa80
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey457Please respect copyright.PENANAfpITBt1HAP
They don't want you near457Please respect copyright.PENANAJTxIPSugn4
Not enough room, you can't play457Please respect copyright.PENANATKvJR3awy4
They see you fall, laugh behind your back457Please respect copyright.PENANAnoMQRSq5MF
They watch from afar457Please respect copyright.PENANAIB8QL8nzWR
Putting on a mask457Please respect copyright.PENANAWe77n4HGzC
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"457Please respect copyright.PENANALYKt0y9KA8
So let's play a game:457Please respect copyright.PENANAx8OykOVcL8
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around457Please respect copyright.PENANA8VDB48pewf
Due to legs not quite right.457Please respect copyright.PENANAS052Hf3i2T
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"457Please respect copyright.PENANAuSTxIQPGg9
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.457Please respect copyright.PENANARi6mm82wH3
I'm just a person to be nice to,457Please respect copyright.PENANAXjnC3Vj8kq
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society457Please respect copyright.PENANAwbRcVrmL3o
It says you need to be nice.457Please respect copyright.PENANAsBTEdtR0cp
Wake up, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANAjwmThXzTas
Get a couple scars - move on.457Please respect copyright.PENANAVMnlphWnEj
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning457Please respect copyright.PENANAOot0rsmZym
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.457Please respect copyright.PENANAFeYNvakO40
Love is always more complicated than it seems.457Please respect copyright.PENANA9kWVjVlqGT
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.457Please respect copyright.PENANAMJGErIwDDT
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.457Please respect copyright.PENANALdOiyqlr2D
Wake up, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANACHvZkxdFCj
Go back, learn how it all ends457Please respect copyright.PENANAJgGU8tKPW5
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone457Please respect copyright.PENANAXFL1alHGTT
And there is me, numb;457Please respect copyright.PENANAPKgmqHdNKM
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.457Please respect copyright.PENANABImakAF1hm
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.457Please respect copyright.PENANA5z73MdO0J4
For fear of being torn apart (again).457Please respect copyright.PENANAGXXRj168Co
Leave the familiar, move away457Please respect copyright.PENANAcVE82yekbM
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.457Please respect copyright.PENANAF1kawBQQ4c
Wake up, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANAWmm87tmhmd
Know this is who you were meant to be.457Please respect copyright.PENANAWH45cbyeNG
Find a home in a God you were told about457Please respect copyright.PENANASxmOei9Q1U
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed457Please respect copyright.PENANApIcawhEJK5
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.457Please respect copyright.PENANAOYf59GakQb
Find a way back to the road you once walked on457Please respect copyright.PENANA2kHpdRr1X1
Make your own voice heard457Please respect copyright.PENANA0US2hlUOyn
These are lessons life taught me.457Please respect copyright.PENANAfjKDuFRYaT
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling457Please respect copyright.PENANAgK912ApfLE
Under the weight of loneliness457Please respect copyright.PENANA2ERsijwlV3
And a multitude of illnesses457Please respect copyright.PENANAE0b78eKjom
Disabilities, and inconveniences.457Please respect copyright.PENANAP9arTUKRtL
But I woke up today, I breathed.457Please respect copyright.PENANAtwBzrFC1NT
I'm alive today.457Please respect copyright.PENANAPcfJxXXvm1
These are the lessons life taught me.457Please respect copyright.PENANA60uAlcjhtH
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.457Please respect copyright.PENANAreqsBSQqGf
Because now I know someday it gets better457Please respect copyright.PENANAIkjni5yM7X
I haven't found love457Please respect copyright.PENANAyaPmmdGJ1O
Or even that one special friend.457Please respect copyright.PENANAOrHYND4dzW
But someday I will.457Please respect copyright.PENANAmtvbzBBbs4
These are the lessons life taught me457Please respect copyright.PENANAJyDLH6r6Sh
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.457Please respect copyright.PENANAalM4ASrtqV
With a battle leading with retreat;457Please respect copyright.PENANAA2RLnEbh0z
Those with their autoimmune diseases457Please respect copyright.PENANAAhqkhfggZz
Or cerebral palsy457Please respect copyright.PENANAh96O3wZnmZ
Or anything else457Please respect copyright.PENANAXBWnXrWOsv
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.457Please respect copyright.PENANA43RoFTBLzM
Wake up, breathe457Please respect copyright.PENANAgeBNODzhZr
For release isn't an option.457Please respect copyright.PENANAkdFQFuQZO5
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.457Please respect copyright.PENANA5EKl3YklTp
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn457Please respect copyright.PENANAAorHnVptom
And so much more to see.