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, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tTrIbH3h0
These are the lessons life taught me.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLfj5QI2m4
I am no one- or maybe everyone?616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvO2lbIYIs
Just dust blowing in the wind616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiqBl70tY4
Get up, brush off, make it home again616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cgZOR3O8t
Wake up, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCUxW24kK3
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzC4PANyXJn
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXQ3OVbJ8Q
They don't want you near616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy3vDH4VSW
Not enough room, you can't play616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJoFoWoDXB
They see you fall, laugh behind your back616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyO6MyI2al
They watch from afar616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFzTLLYnBn
Putting on a mask616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIa5iO1h6L
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0R5HEhLET
So let's play a game:616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0F5pZK6g0
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpoymKSZJuy
Due to legs not quite right.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pibUsEc9j
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkwaBt47J5
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNffiwoJQy
I'm just a person to be nice to,616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIffxdJ5f2
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dQOvH9HC7
It says you need to be nice.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AWkgDb207
Wake up, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaaqxfOTWE
Get a couple scars - move on.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkN5RBVgeZ5
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE81SoolvK
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8MVmfSeia
Love is always more complicated than it seems.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sInKZOFkd
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6yLOAqkis
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLWpkJvrtO
Wake up, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWYqd8Rbmx
Go back, learn how it all ends616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6EhNN0O2U
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0G9wCi9d9X
And there is me, numb;616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsQ6vyzjGM
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCG4RWKrTd
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0h4Hrt3O6U
For fear of being torn apart (again).616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJpJWDCFyP8
Leave the familiar, move away616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kIg68JHS1
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7jRrF5jOe
Wake up, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9bZykvyhR
Know this is who you were meant to be.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8K3aZ0Nn5
Find a home in a God you were told about616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPhkOoSZPj
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSsL3n39EK
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQGHVLIRya
Find a way back to the road you once walked on616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2HvgjHBDY
Make your own voice heard616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6sj623jye
These are lessons life taught me.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYMFTVOPIk
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgaAK39H6c
Under the weight of loneliness616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0DSx6lJko
And a multitude of illnesses616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡir6IfWoJ7w
Disabilities, and inconveniences.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuZkVi5aaz
But I woke up today, I breathed.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWWoFVvyzd
I'm alive today.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDzTcaCkNZ
These are the lessons life taught me.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsv6geqypdk
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE1ZoFURg8
Because now I know someday it gets better616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡty4PeyZ19x
I haven't found love616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiY5aV6k9r
Or even that one special friend.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQt6juZFC1
But someday I will.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnroEIPUPwo
These are the lessons life taught me616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEuuGGVuNN
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnlR8oFrX9
With a battle leading with retreat;616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8p9vVwiUsb
Those with their autoimmune diseases616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvh0JrNjYp
Or cerebral palsy616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdsQihmHNB
Or anything else616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjRqtrsTYp
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRwIgWMlYc
Wake up, breathe616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpcJllt0Z4
For release isn't an option.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaJHEieTEe
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BxJzIlifO
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtYkOms7jr
And so much more to see.
