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, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6QtqaCoyu
These are the lessons life taught me.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEAZzejfIX
I am no one- or maybe everyone?688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhpHjSYVv2
Just dust blowing in the wind688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLfe0iy67N
Get up, brush off, make it home again688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hbBMdbGdk
Wake up, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAVg1DpdhB
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQb3M8YZcIF
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnJc1TwzBH
They don't want you near688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyymhfXD5PD
Not enough room, you can't play688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGyyQudzTE
They see you fall, laugh behind your back688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1kVPF9gpN
They watch from afar688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYCDO8nYDT
Putting on a mask688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyf69DRVLp
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJCIdi8w21
So let's play a game:688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEjH2tiPtU
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zK0WyeN5l
Due to legs not quite right.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4aaKxiDW7
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3oPz6Ftsv
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ7fgBVBA1
I'm just a person to be nice to,688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCyn5zphbH
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLfEQtwR7A
It says you need to be nice.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM6eMWWwcF
Wake up, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvUawaY3eg
Get a couple scars - move on.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡunZlwdHpcC
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkfyfYVOQE
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSz0jpEO7P
Love is always more complicated than it seems.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTViMaoOMyi
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMCQYVLLIo
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnLFomZRaG
Wake up, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgonEjseP4y
Go back, learn how it all ends688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZvICXN4lH
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYhAuV7Fs0
And there is me, numb;688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6fNdKSSK2
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWq6HFA7Ln
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvs2x5Bgoz
For fear of being torn apart (again).688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5D4sKp6LG
Leave the familiar, move away688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgYukkKLe9
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYZw6vMxWB
Wake up, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU4DVlPw2Q
Know this is who you were meant to be.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvHgvzVc9v
Find a home in a God you were told about688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0ijbqUHTS
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLQOUxjprh
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjzWW8KmXk
Find a way back to the road you once walked on688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOpokckUWC
Make your own voice heard688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7KxlRN8MT
These are lessons life taught me.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT47LPow2K
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLTTgKq6Gb
Under the weight of loneliness688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODxxJxUUem
And a multitude of illnesses688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kFpQOay95
Disabilities, and inconveniences.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2loTbZhur
But I woke up today, I breathed.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkbrYJYGj9
I'm alive today.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOj9zzafMV
These are the lessons life taught me.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwcKzOeMSQ
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBS0ZOcUyCr
Because now I know someday it gets better688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNDu6CBPnCD
I haven't found love688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFyH3FpUps
Or even that one special friend.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5nOI9Wbv3
But someday I will.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcs1o8uVLNn
These are the lessons life taught me688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xjhfHWDe4
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1826e2elE
With a battle leading with retreat;688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrVMvgkHCV
Those with their autoimmune diseases688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrdUXIjuO5
Or cerebral palsy688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMxVbEaS55
Or anything else688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXQJyeH5Do
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGvU02R0sa
Wake up, breathe688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kLQmzjfjS
For release isn't an option.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeOBReh9pIR
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQptz2YEIxN
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn688Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm9icWk0Wr
And so much more to see.
