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, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzQNKyaCxs
These are the lessons life taught me.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQj1tNupmPy
I am no one- or maybe everyone?654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMxg4cz8cl
Just dust blowing in the wind654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThaoVWoX37
Get up, brush off, make it home again654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuBdbgZALR
Wake up, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3Jv9V0znF
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcWakTqNmg
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9WJPEGJx5
They don't want you near654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsu93aXypv
Not enough room, you can't play654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tsgEkilUt
They see you fall, laugh behind your back654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRrnFAeXML
They watch from afar654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCmeWxY9Yl
Putting on a mask654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWg12ht1ZG
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTjGEj0qnl
So let's play a game:654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiM5vmSEJE
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv0OPKRc8qr
Due to legs not quite right.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIVPHWrKRW
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiewFbqpk3
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKalZCpyjz
I'm just a person to be nice to,654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGBXOFrPR6
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTBw3HuRA5f
It says you need to be nice.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUVGlKRF9W
Wake up, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP75TgZAoqc
Get a couple scars - move on.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVbf1RFwse
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWROw0vU8cI
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqfQCSircl
Love is always more complicated than it seems.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxuMPuCnOj
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlGUFLjdJp
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtNI0U1N8p
Wake up, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YQXIM8O8h
Go back, learn how it all ends654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10jm7MTPBG
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpPtgIAgKN
And there is me, numb;654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TiBp0nhWQ
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6P8tMCEiZ
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnfUw8LSbG
For fear of being torn apart (again).654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsb466ab0m
Leave the familiar, move away654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQ4FlcRy3e
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBWOmaJdwW
Wake up, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JemXUQ9Bo
Know this is who you were meant to be.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh98lsUMC0
Find a home in a God you were told about654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WT0lHUtxb
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQNYVc4stf
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABIToqclDp
Find a way back to the road you once walked on654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7NXqXbzpI
Make your own voice heard654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlIhXEsUAE
These are lessons life taught me.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslipW7aa4O
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8lBD5bc76
Under the weight of loneliness654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpvDnoh5p0
And a multitude of illnesses654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcg71pFEke3
Disabilities, and inconveniences.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoqo2DuSTv
But I woke up today, I breathed.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXfEZfNmid
I'm alive today.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99Vnpr1FcM
These are the lessons life taught me.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZE6FtHUMR
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSG6UqarBm
Because now I know someday it gets better654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡebiWIr2QjZ
I haven't found love654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7obpBBy5Lk
Or even that one special friend.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pIVqWg5DK
But someday I will.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRS44qSpQdD
These are the lessons life taught me654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rTz6WlmNN
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEKLZRtfFu
With a battle leading with retreat;654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPNojX4cct
Those with their autoimmune diseases654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmMhY2N4F0
Or cerebral palsy654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oTreGFEH7
Or anything else654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eXwQepWXz
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAg6UlfEGD2
Wake up, breathe654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWII7MJgPC
For release isn't an option.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkfmg3bMRa
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zMYz2GN1n
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn654Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3b0nQDG02
And so much more to see.
