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, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVs1PCQfIH
These are the lessons life taught me.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8ZQwSMQfa
I am no one- or maybe everyone?628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3MLxN2gWM
Just dust blowing in the wind628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDjgFANLBo
Get up, brush off, make it home again628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0s9eGH3c1Q
Wake up, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFtOk9PsGD
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRElJoZ5L5F
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zOmrnj96t
They don't want you near628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sJ1EMLSiE
Not enough room, you can't play628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPS02F3asw
They see you fall, laugh behind your back628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiptBc8rYuF
They watch from afar628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRjILup0lV
Putting on a mask628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRafbRVHYm
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHlVtYRfos
So let's play a game:628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4N03jB7uq
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhMSQ3YkkZ
Due to legs not quite right.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQrCqxLDLL
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84E2yVsPV2
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnfTYFhkDh
I'm just a person to be nice to,628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f8z1s3H0j
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUpwjvd3rD
It says you need to be nice.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMSCFeLGpn
Wake up, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cFENEQHZZ
Get a couple scars - move on.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XKva4lZ20
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCxSGzwD7b
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwR3y4hMiKa
Love is always more complicated than it seems.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOtOzqsgWI
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAuqPmSLK9
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTksJtqbj4x
Wake up, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzds0cXlB2u
Go back, learn how it all ends628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2hNwySqNX
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErXxAwDVo7
And there is me, numb;628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwKYpSLkLb
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOsgIQbQEE
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9EOEItQPF
For fear of being torn apart (again).628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKUfmhqDaT
Leave the familiar, move away628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhkPJmiCSu
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZD4CX0N3S
Wake up, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTAdfv1kqA
Know this is who you were meant to be.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXqSmfwC9t
Find a home in a God you were told about628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFDZaIw4o8
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyqdYnhepj
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXo5RPizwz
Find a way back to the road you once walked on628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeShEQqIvS2
Make your own voice heard628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbeJOUk942
These are lessons life taught me.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVlRN6jOrR
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kOyogOyl0
Under the weight of loneliness628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjLoWXJSOO
And a multitude of illnesses628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvLX2KEMU9
Disabilities, and inconveniences.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1g6iijvvF
But I woke up today, I breathed.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkOiSOYrv5
I'm alive today.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLXJ5GcSbh
These are the lessons life taught me.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JcO8QgBDE
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDf5plIao7l
Because now I know someday it gets better628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85viUR6yO7
I haven't found love628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8dO4Bx9kI
Or even that one special friend.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXpRGZCSWL
But someday I will.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaByXI7cGi
These are the lessons life taught me628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQ6CJFdDow
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgAAyRZghv
With a battle leading with retreat;628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFH7MQ15Yoj
Those with their autoimmune diseases628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdH6IuwpVLy
Or cerebral palsy628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcBK8mrpU74
Or anything else628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB7Rn7Plzq
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbY1kTOWNrY
Wake up, breathe628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bqOpIfQzZ
For release isn't an option.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcCZL1XhKg
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiJAAq3rWA
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn628Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6EGoR5ElR
And so much more to see.
