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, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrb8YGWmNxT
These are the lessons life taught me.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSoEYpUbnc
I am no one- or maybe everyone?659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3HKSwGKvg9
Just dust blowing in the wind659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBK9j4JsFKn
Get up, brush off, make it home again659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3t5Bo0Yed
Wake up, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Auyh18ieu
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpaIyMlYotO
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2AgMVnj4S
They don't want you near659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu29c7ZlgmS
Not enough room, you can't play659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNOcty7TZ0
They see you fall, laugh behind your back659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7nBU5Wo5e
They watch from afar659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0Mjyu2vY5
Putting on a mask659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfbPuVxhy6
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoIJ5gpQfhI
So let's play a game:659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhpv8VFxym
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUwFDJ2Tq6
Due to legs not quite right.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiapR0A0mY
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyO6JWhicK
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq77s1PcqGt
I'm just a person to be nice to,659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88ECWdncRV
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xHBmjVeIA
It says you need to be nice.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4dWzAmzPt
Wake up, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkMDZSL1sP
Get a couple scars - move on.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oc5ZpJL6R
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJogz278nPK
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dmn2Bwd6h
Love is always more complicated than it seems.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnO7YN1m9Qk
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRn9QxXEgl
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Li9O1rfr8
Wake up, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFtakkUT1K
Go back, learn how it all ends659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisEvefVCyW
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7edTSv6Zs
And there is me, numb;659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3LHst3Dsw
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2TsDxZCbk
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqQF28SLbl
For fear of being torn apart (again).659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzGXTIZcqP
Leave the familiar, move away659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd2XqDseka
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPajzxGSbz
Wake up, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPb4euuNvfr
Know this is who you were meant to be.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWiKzDUiTu
Find a home in a God you were told about659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIBzSQ1WX8
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bBcTZdmGQ
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DMMAWfOyv
Find a way back to the road you once walked on659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmX9F5ULn2
Make your own voice heard659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYBTAak6Xy
These are lessons life taught me.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNYTnZKj2P
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ccQVk7n64
Under the weight of loneliness659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6QhfTKw4N
And a multitude of illnesses659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSXUGVK8BU
Disabilities, and inconveniences.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1gHNrNxah
But I woke up today, I breathed.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZXMIUnybw
I'm alive today.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIC7U14AdK
These are the lessons life taught me.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5QViIpDV8
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡly7W3aWZ9E
Because now I know someday it gets better659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNk89buX20b
I haven't found love659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqU3AeWUCk0
Or even that one special friend.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FbGzL7sZf
But someday I will.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1AJGNnax2
These are the lessons life taught me659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaCaDnptYY
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl4WpH1LPP
With a battle leading with retreat;659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSXsBHxvn5
Those with their autoimmune diseases659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Fdx3bQKC2
Or cerebral palsy659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvqk3uKazf
Or anything else659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3ydeihU6z
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv6Aemvx0q
Wake up, breathe659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKwaagwzbF
For release isn't an option.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEnum9dOKO
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eqgN80pmm
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn659Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKQyBLvCKN
And so much more to see.
