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, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANAfGAhqO2QrC
These are the lessons life taught me.439Please respect copyright.PENANAO4MKkV1pWu
I am no one- or maybe everyone?439Please respect copyright.PENANAh8S7yu9635
Just dust blowing in the wind439Please respect copyright.PENANAuzZftT8aTA
Get up, brush off, make it home again439Please respect copyright.PENANAmSVzDgAL3b
Wake up, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANAMD3oOiP7Cn
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears439Please respect copyright.PENANADxL5PDMDcJ
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey439Please respect copyright.PENANA3vgvCs08vS
They don't want you near439Please respect copyright.PENANApWTzYcygwG
Not enough room, you can't play439Please respect copyright.PENANAxpKFnFyNLR
They see you fall, laugh behind your back439Please respect copyright.PENANAHDQD9Fr3nM
They watch from afar439Please respect copyright.PENANAsnnlc7V47u
Putting on a mask439Please respect copyright.PENANAl4FbSl9TeW
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"439Please respect copyright.PENANA3t8m6nzVF0
So let's play a game:439Please respect copyright.PENANAHZtH9up8Ym
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around439Please respect copyright.PENANA1U2ucHpUwP
Due to legs not quite right.439Please respect copyright.PENANAt1UssxE4bm
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"439Please respect copyright.PENANAV3K9dgkMXH
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.439Please respect copyright.PENANAfsFiZCZixl
I'm just a person to be nice to,439Please respect copyright.PENANAAC8yiqW5Ep
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society439Please respect copyright.PENANA57xP7LP84P
It says you need to be nice.439Please respect copyright.PENANABEXFoIrHAA
Wake up, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANA0A6pIlETOX
Get a couple scars - move on.439Please respect copyright.PENANAI6rqp3bTm8
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning439Please respect copyright.PENANAYKwnUroo6J
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.439Please respect copyright.PENANAhesyLpjs8c
Love is always more complicated than it seems.439Please respect copyright.PENANAiz00vTNQab
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.439Please respect copyright.PENANA03ZMjDagAu
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.439Please respect copyright.PENANAx64SlsHerf
Wake up, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANAInMAnmdTr4
Go back, learn how it all ends439Please respect copyright.PENANA6cwvxtoD6D
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone439Please respect copyright.PENANAdMleKlPaYL
And there is me, numb;439Please respect copyright.PENANAMI3L10L5aP
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.439Please respect copyright.PENANAZUczEDcij8
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.439Please respect copyright.PENANAMJzuvYj5ep
For fear of being torn apart (again).439Please respect copyright.PENANAnueDYsBdGF
Leave the familiar, move away439Please respect copyright.PENANA5pbjuJqdjJ
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.439Please respect copyright.PENANAictmOfcsRb
Wake up, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANA2Stuy4ByVc
Know this is who you were meant to be.439Please respect copyright.PENANA5op1xvNE8Y
Find a home in a God you were told about439Please respect copyright.PENANAXagSqojmFr
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed439Please respect copyright.PENANAYInrWKj77Z
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.439Please respect copyright.PENANAHKmRDuXiFh
Find a way back to the road you once walked on439Please respect copyright.PENANAnI25dkofVc
Make your own voice heard439Please respect copyright.PENANA0G7va7Ityn
These are lessons life taught me.439Please respect copyright.PENANAPr3Qt9XX7U
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling439Please respect copyright.PENANAvv9InY9yRI
Under the weight of loneliness439Please respect copyright.PENANAXPff4ZJIPe
And a multitude of illnesses439Please respect copyright.PENANAhYqQgaxSV5
Disabilities, and inconveniences.439Please respect copyright.PENANA72x8Lv7R6m
But I woke up today, I breathed.439Please respect copyright.PENANAqQrBcLuFez
I'm alive today.439Please respect copyright.PENANAHv0ehJ1WoY
These are the lessons life taught me.439Please respect copyright.PENANAc8PtXs2eg2
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.439Please respect copyright.PENANAx6HwZHl4DX
Because now I know someday it gets better439Please respect copyright.PENANAaegCWogEF5
I haven't found love439Please respect copyright.PENANAMrznyhM1rd
Or even that one special friend.439Please respect copyright.PENANAc1JMuFbKaO
But someday I will.439Please respect copyright.PENANAGh2ebmV1nu
These are the lessons life taught me439Please respect copyright.PENANACbCurZ3mmc
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.439Please respect copyright.PENANA7bU6GlUoU4
With a battle leading with retreat;439Please respect copyright.PENANAeK040fU9tG
Those with their autoimmune diseases439Please respect copyright.PENANAv1l3XpyHdm
Or cerebral palsy439Please respect copyright.PENANAHJuy21Ddsp
Or anything else439Please respect copyright.PENANAcYjOLX6iDz
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.439Please respect copyright.PENANA2PalILpTJb
Wake up, breathe439Please respect copyright.PENANAkR1HIfD1LL
For release isn't an option.439Please respect copyright.PENANA2NwaPuXfnj
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.439Please respect copyright.PENANA8nArQjteLk
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn439Please respect copyright.PENANAJfYCtjEzhp
And so much more to see.