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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDoORkm5li
These are the lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO70CW6VOw
I am no one- or maybe everyone?689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIv8qRct2j
Just dust blowing in the wind689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0v5SKtC7sV
Get up, brush off, make it home again689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wp2UqK1Fw
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupfSFKvaqj
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYInyZZRrJ
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFiWsgOMNd
They don't want you near689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCryFGvBRL
Not enough room, you can't play689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVuS3o9gmL
They see you fall, laugh behind your back689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDS10y509e
They watch from afar689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV8bkQs4HZU
Putting on a mask689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY1GILCCx3
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwM7jMW3a3
So let's play a game:689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuZboVQ3Cv
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSNIDmx5J8
Due to legs not quite right.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI89kSRHyaA
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEOBjgydwR
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARJL0o46OS
I'm just a person to be nice to,689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK57sAIr7uJ
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6aqUiSWMb
It says you need to be nice.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkK8Gvmzyx
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhw1nMR84fV
Get a couple scars - move on.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUH6BEesXnp
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQB4Tri1YF
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHstvyne3JH
Love is always more complicated than it seems.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLY4xBApGc
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9OZJ1i5p7
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2PnpxkfFP
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjs5CMBFvU
Go back, learn how it all ends689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVREciYGew
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRcQ4z302b
And there is me, numb;689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NSKuiA1Lb
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2lt05VfqU
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0icai4PI7T
For fear of being torn apart (again).689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW46WXc104h
Leave the familiar, move away689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt4BGfSqxd
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4sJuv3gev
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgdWx5iMt4
Know this is who you were meant to be.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpnV0AcTkI
Find a home in a God you were told about689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFttdzJ0V7
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4cp31QDMm
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUb4S52rk3
Find a way back to the road you once walked on689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QMX1kPaWL
Make your own voice heard689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SFQLjDssY
These are lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sKXREQ7qQ
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGPKYWer5y
Under the weight of loneliness689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22rF2n1Nsb
And a multitude of illnesses689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthui9dzHJW
Disabilities, and inconveniences.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzivJeUf7la
But I woke up today, I breathed.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4EdFcrVUl0
I'm alive today.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9a0AHxiPP
These are the lessons life taught me.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RRI8TX02r
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkId9cqDqu
Because now I know someday it gets better689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VaKPswT71
I haven't found love689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiIIRmJxQhj
Or even that one special friend.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3kIolcpW5
But someday I will.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WxKnplysb
These are the lessons life taught me689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoQ9VkkHs4
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx10kOyxjQD
With a battle leading with retreat;689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMnffL971r
Those with their autoimmune diseases689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1LcMIFpTv
Or cerebral palsy689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxUcSvwak1
Or anything else689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOamGZ3O96F
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7LdeWGUhD
Wake up, breathe689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOaobhu483
For release isn't an option.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1x5rENp99D
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FaSfgxAKl
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn689Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77S3y6dl7v
And so much more to see.
