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, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24vPd5bmp4
These are the lessons life taught me.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD6ZaOuym2
I am no one- or maybe everyone?653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ozOPTOPhe
Just dust blowing in the wind653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bfCKUR7px
Get up, brush off, make it home again653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHtk963JEW
Wake up, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9vlZV2Eyu
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTjBLOcUHI
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLWOmWU1tJ
They don't want you near653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlowXkFXHC
Not enough room, you can't play653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhflwtqSIdU
They see you fall, laugh behind your back653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDy2JkQ4uw
They watch from afar653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMHa9p1ogOS
Putting on a mask653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwCYNZ817f
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYUKSmz9OW
So let's play a game:653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcWbuAFOAdE
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcymNCo1RaA
Due to legs not quite right.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKOt0zh9y1g
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40TIHmNUXK
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvEM2tfDdth
I'm just a person to be nice to,653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHRKdAQM8i
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7N1VismaAi
It says you need to be nice.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJA6w5XLxRZ
Wake up, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzc9IUhMvR
Get a couple scars - move on.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapqCqS1bT3
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwJVhtmKtO
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MBgIyRMBe
Love is always more complicated than it seems.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kDPrThUDA
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC1EWMN0pg
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18Nh1EUk0o
Wake up, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp63okSvQFw
Go back, learn how it all ends653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt03VCdRL5s
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjkkSOsoPt
And there is me, numb;653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzc1eDuh8q
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡST5UHF2Boe
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnd2O3jwB3
For fear of being torn apart (again).653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5fFIqQ0qq
Leave the familiar, move away653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDh535nClGc
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBnM1iQ8LE
Wake up, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4FUpReeFr
Know this is who you were meant to be.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdOYmTRyvs
Find a home in a God you were told about653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfIBDEgv9L
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sYODoBrdq
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOlNy0OIeM
Find a way back to the road you once walked on653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVjo33XoSQ
Make your own voice heard653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxubCrKNOYT
These are lessons life taught me.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrEDubuiP5
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YlarPRyjB
Under the weight of loneliness653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93VR8ej4Ns
And a multitude of illnesses653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkpfmPrBv9
Disabilities, and inconveniences.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JzkzvdTgU
But I woke up today, I breathed.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66hzRDRVL4
I'm alive today.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcnNGamZJn
These are the lessons life taught me.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CeGPM0GxY
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY3Ol2i4cc
Because now I know someday it gets better653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwV7XvDNNb
I haven't found love653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6NnMssMgO
Or even that one special friend.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmI1BQSwDf
But someday I will.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2jI5ITkQe
These are the lessons life taught me653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaebFEEkMmN
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUGNkEFrxq
With a battle leading with retreat;653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4XBhELJy8
Those with their autoimmune diseases653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERzavmRq3C
Or cerebral palsy653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyeGXkryOM
Or anything else653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHjUgiT5ii
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOqXSvJS6k
Wake up, breathe653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2izdrwTwW
For release isn't an option.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyFdsSltzr
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1TnMJ0YCn
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn653Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5W7uysnKKW
And so much more to see.
