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, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj6UGqzmqK
These are the lessons life taught me.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdr701ZlwJ
I am no one- or maybe everyone?972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNpewclc9H
Just dust blowing in the wind972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdK45fOUmy
Get up, brush off, make it home again972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL5TNUiTtP
Wake up, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4izbWP6l4k
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nGJ2ohUVT
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxtEl48UHM
They don't want you near972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rgUvqrlWo
Not enough room, you can't play972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUHU2wEm2F
They see you fall, laugh behind your back972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QUNNRF548
They watch from afar972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdiAiYJJkI
Putting on a mask972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnbGuL4euw
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArVTVR5IPP
So let's play a game:972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsoO8TZ57s
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpx5Wiu8mXK
Due to legs not quite right.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv4OofJuYu
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX167hiSisv
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTVFtzetH4
I'm just a person to be nice to,972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtmgLpCKbn2
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2pq82X90o
It says you need to be nice.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaWvsblTca
Wake up, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq536V10BlT
Get a couple scars - move on.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4tO2MeJ5l
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC6ezAIvfA
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJtTe0UC05
Love is always more complicated than it seems.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OJGJPr5IV
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3drwq3sP5
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7QKQcOtJn
Wake up, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTHSnXa7mW
Go back, learn how it all ends972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7XVc7AoGG
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS1tykOI5X
And there is me, numb;972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ebrzEy8Ov
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurzxh4Zwld
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUR5VXB3xp
For fear of being torn apart (again).972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNK1GGbNkO
Leave the familiar, move away972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUhvpLSlQn
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug0X81Ktqg
Wake up, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNH7B96KZUu
Know this is who you were meant to be.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIIoxFJAQPb
Find a home in a God you were told about972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVYV4G3TeN
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRytCaxESry
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFG8BXjLjy
Find a way back to the road you once walked on972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaVbezZ1fJ
Make your own voice heard972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGujvm9j60
These are lessons life taught me.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Vr4UBqpTt
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq7DSUjFx4
Under the weight of loneliness972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vrRdZAJCs
And a multitude of illnesses972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSOCFbgIql
Disabilities, and inconveniences.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcvLzAUObb
But I woke up today, I breathed.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNbSPFRwWL
I'm alive today.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iyJJ71ryE
These are the lessons life taught me.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4EG1U5eHv
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b77jhsBoG
Because now I know someday it gets better972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHUpO8N4ZF
I haven't found love972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7V5eXuxydb
Or even that one special friend.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcXfnSNANO
But someday I will.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4g7TVnP7e
These are the lessons life taught me972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAEAy3PVcP
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiToWZGkK4E
With a battle leading with retreat;972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MefytOtMf
Those with their autoimmune diseases972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMy5J14teyp
Or cerebral palsy972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd9qJukvP0
Or anything else972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKaej2Oohz
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHUWDEDZtR
Wake up, breathe972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZb0mwkyuiS
For release isn't an option.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcXBP7IDCt
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNR7XzUW6x
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn972Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWUjkYPSP6
And so much more to see.
and then Add to home screen.