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, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANASWVvPoMnc0
These are the lessons life taught me.442Please respect copyright.PENANAGHJXZSeUcb
I am no one- or maybe everyone?442Please respect copyright.PENANAPvM2Qo19NM
Just dust blowing in the wind442Please respect copyright.PENANAeGomgyHtCL
Get up, brush off, make it home again442Please respect copyright.PENANA57J8YTGXcq
Wake up, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANAmQOXph1TzV
Hide. Don't show your face, your fears442Please respect copyright.PENANAsVyk3bwkUf
They watch you like hawks, eyeing their prey442Please respect copyright.PENANAaYIwpAZoch
They don't want you near442Please respect copyright.PENANAccX5z3bU2e
Not enough room, you can't play442Please respect copyright.PENANAEzOxijGqOv
They see you fall, laugh behind your back442Please respect copyright.PENANAAVkWFYKS3l
They watch from afar442Please respect copyright.PENANAlVyhSaKFAK
Putting on a mask442Please respect copyright.PENANAr6ocFkWRZh
Humor me; make me say the word "friends"442Please respect copyright.PENANAqRbmXuQYAe
So let's play a game:442Please respect copyright.PENANAQ1rBYzoWlF
One where I walk and fall, and stumble around442Please respect copyright.PENANARctoY5WFdk
Due to legs not quite right.442Please respect copyright.PENANAIRycPKnbqZ
One where you say "oh, she's my friend!"442Please respect copyright.PENANAgWB5w9orSq
But wouldn't really care if I was dead.442Please respect copyright.PENANAsVxE9jPhzS
I'm just a person to be nice to,442Please respect copyright.PENANACaVzYagXZT
Because somewhere in that unsaid rule book of society442Please respect copyright.PENANAUTpgo2DQDG
It says you need to be nice.442Please respect copyright.PENANAaLktvX0rbp
Wake up, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANArziiPD5ZCa
Get a couple scars - move on.442Please respect copyright.PENANAwlgaP8PLPx
Ride a horse, find that freedom you were yearning442Please respect copyright.PENANANtwqFJdPNM
Fall in love, realize it was never really meant to be.442Please respect copyright.PENANAKLRwru74Cz
Love is always more complicated than it seems.442Please respect copyright.PENANAvKeJ46djoj
Break up, break a heart, fall back in line.442Please respect copyright.PENANABS3x3RTKE3
Just another day in this life of rushing blood.442Please respect copyright.PENANAMcLzAkvbAX
Wake up, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANA1OkVogDqJP
Go back, learn how it all ends442Please respect copyright.PENANA0UoHHU9ZJt
With stabs in the back, rumors running flat, lies spun and undone442Please respect copyright.PENANAWIhQhyPh8Y
And there is me, numb;442Please respect copyright.PENANASlcTYxqQ4K
Lost in a world that doesn't make any sense.442Please respect copyright.PENANAbymKJziLFR
Scared to open her heart for fear of falling apart.442Please respect copyright.PENANAlbscugRJ8h
For fear of being torn apart (again).442Please respect copyright.PENANA0HWeWe2Co0
Leave the familiar, move away442Please respect copyright.PENANARXn8ECMt5n
Gain some independence, what you've always wanted.442Please respect copyright.PENANA2s7TBRSPVf
Wake up, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANAtu32npD2Gc
Know this is who you were meant to be.442Please respect copyright.PENANA6yv8j9PoxL
Find a home in a God you were told about442Please respect copyright.PENANAU4gRffIdG2
But were losing faith in and weren't sure you believed442Please respect copyright.PENANAMLDmaY4chS
Learn interpretation is key, and love is all that matters.442Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZYULfVnTP
Find a way back to the road you once walked on442Please respect copyright.PENANAW2sso4xvZz
Make your own voice heard442Please respect copyright.PENANAWDCgZ2zQk7
These are lessons life taught me.442Please respect copyright.PENANAtDFpZSCc1B
I'm still falling down, I'm still struggling442Please respect copyright.PENANADiWGGI1rrl
Under the weight of loneliness442Please respect copyright.PENANAd2yxbtxCWd
And a multitude of illnesses442Please respect copyright.PENANADcaVInqQ3K
Disabilities, and inconveniences.442Please respect copyright.PENANAppKbaXrYK8
But I woke up today, I breathed.442Please respect copyright.PENANAEXZNRiCqhF
I'm alive today.442Please respect copyright.PENANA7DuclhMLoO
These are the lessons life taught me.442Please respect copyright.PENANAg1jc7eW1i8
Not everyday is easy, but it's worth trying.442Please respect copyright.PENANAk6MzoB4Uad
Because now I know someday it gets better442Please respect copyright.PENANA9wW60BYcLu
I haven't found love442Please respect copyright.PENANAYTqZ4RSXU4
Or even that one special friend.442Please respect copyright.PENANAvhcKWarwLu
But someday I will.442Please respect copyright.PENANACfexdtr6q7
These are the lessons life taught me442Please respect copyright.PENANAI1OiwsFHQ6
And this is a poem for those like me who lost their way.442Please respect copyright.PENANAwXgcknM1rX
With a battle leading with retreat;442Please respect copyright.PENANA4ap0RVJ4zO
Those with their autoimmune diseases442Please respect copyright.PENANAicnru27lGd
Or cerebral palsy442Please respect copyright.PENANA59S2VDyAkX
Or anything else442Please respect copyright.PENANABdRVYXwEsf
That made it so life taught them a thing or two.442Please respect copyright.PENANAVb7VcN9sG0
Wake up, breathe442Please respect copyright.PENANAnQ0U2yHcnp
For release isn't an option.442Please respect copyright.PENANAygoxT1hyGN
When down the road, there will be so much to live for.442Please respect copyright.PENANAiiAKivEb4K
So much to be here for, so many more life lessons to learn442Please respect copyright.PENANA9iU4XdXyJQ
And so much more to see.