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, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7aapw0keq
These are the lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c4bem1YZ2
I am no one- or maybe everyone?689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtXcBaA9LP
Just dust blowing in the wind689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY949UxTaV
Get up, brush off, make it home again689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aIkTCNHEp
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHtE92MWGX
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JFXjYJKHv
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKsiKRbta1
They don't want you near689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXUjYd95rn
Not enough room, you can't play689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwAUIms7NA
They see you fall, laugh behind your back689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnn3eK9UhJJ
They watch from afar689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYaLIUwx8j8
Putting on a mask689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9NlOSkPWI
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIqQx19bWC
So let's play a game:689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQoPPq1rTu
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yNu69iwQs
Due to legs not quite right.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QEPYFXWFF
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTHPV5Uf0c
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oXyccnDvH
I'm just a person to be nice to,689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI0UyQKm6a
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Yy7n71dgP
It says you need to be nice.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgAsKpnwvy
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DlsOjbh8D
Get a couple scars - move on.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i9yiSEfZ6
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvsY7qUG5C
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSzIwIvPhx
Love is always more complicated than it seems.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pBkelFc3O
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaUfBc2ybg
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1o1EgfpE2O
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wL91eu35W
Go back, learn how it all ends689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhnuOmiwX0
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8qemKcNmg
And there is me, numb;689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDyW3F2te8
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfzdFSc7UK
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxznDkNjQn
For fear of being torn apart (again).689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuTjpr32Be
Leave the familiar, move away689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJGHrVnIKL
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWAE6SKVxk
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZhawkAwTq
Know this is who you were meant to be.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsRo1NHwuZ
Find a home in a God you were told about689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡICImzBNKRT
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3MB9h5PtC
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdHKzbpQPu
Find a way back to the road you once walked on689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKlc1yHXiM
Make your own voice heard689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVq8PVKoZm
These are lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGR2hR7zeo
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpqYZCyzfM
Under the weight of loneliness689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqvljqz9zM
And a multitude of illnesses689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtx5MQeUX9x
Disabilities, and inconveniences.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprd2qwUlVQ
But I woke up today, I breathed.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pU8SHAwLX
I'm alive today.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8wQuN0Zp5
These are the lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZsKafm9TT
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAOBGusD8g
Because now I know someday it gets better689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyUF2OwBJb
I haven't found love689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDR7KzNWp0
Or even that one special friend.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGUTIlqzxo
But someday I will.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmxN32w49O
These are the lessons life taught me689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H1wMxuMon
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSKe5xfHqU
With a battle leading with retreat;689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGEbWMdm4D
Those with their autoimmune diseases689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr3BjAJSg1
Or cerebral palsy689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthvUdsEY9F
Or anything else689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo48lbEsym9
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Fb1NQYeR
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3D2bEIygv
For release isn't an option.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDNm1XzA1w
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5z7iAbQzr
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluXmBeIlvB
And so much more to see.
