On the road again

it's 2005 / maybe 06 / i am driving alone from los angeles to atlanta / get pulled over by a cop somewhere in oklahoma / follows me a long time / trying to come up with a reason / i guess / i am careful / i follow the rules / he backs off / i change lanes / he comes up fast behind me / says i didn't signal when i switched / story of my life / it is a hot day / i remember / no one knows me in oklahoma / not that i have a cell phone anyway / his voice booms from the speaker / demanding i get out slowly and walk back to his car / this is not how we get tickets at home / but where would i make a complaint / best do what he says / best pray i leave this alive / i stand outside his passenger door / open / k-9 in the backseat / get in / cop says / get in the car / i ask / yes get in / his patience is growing thin / i sit at the edge of the seat / one leg on the ground / close the door / close the door / i ask / i'm really afraid of your dog / i confess / i cautiously close the door / i'm not used to getting into a police car to get a ticket / what did i do anyway / why am i here / why did you follow me so long / alone / alone / black and woman and alone / alone / alone / with a dog / and a cop / and his gun / and his clear eyes and white skin / on a highway / in the heat / come through, somebody / come through / you didn't signal / where are you going / who is expecting you / why are you here / and this ain't no time for a clapback / and my bones still shaking like puppy / he knows i am afraid / he knows i watch the news / he knows we both see / color / and more questions / and questions / about nothing / about l.a. / words about the weather / like this is a date / like i don't know what this is / like he knows who is in control / mother may i / mother may i / i only want to leave / give me my ticket so i can go / go / go away / away / away / and never come back / he let me off with a warning / and we know this is not about a lane change / we know this game of red rover red rover send black girl right over / is about power / about control / about sit until you are dismissed / dismissed / let go / go / away / away / allowed to live / long as i / know