"I can't breathe..."

I can't breathe, seeing lights in the rear view mirror,

I can't tell who he is who is coming nearer -

Face like mine - just a man that I see in the mirror...

I don't judge men by color but that blue is a threat.

I can't breathe, my anxiety is now cresting over,

I can't tell if it's me or if time's moving slower,

Mother, tell me at last when this nightmare is over...

I don't talk to strangers and we've only just met.

I can't breathe, he is ordering me to step out,

I can tell that he's nervous, beyond any doubt -

His eyes appear shifty, and his nightstick is out,

I try to stay calm, but I'm smelling his sweat.

I can't breathe, he is twisting my arms from behind me,

I can't tell why he's forcefully trying to bind me,

Should I not be afraid as he comes up behind me?!

But I say to myself, he won't see me upset.

I can't breathe, he's pushing me down on one knee,

I can't tell what exactly he's yelling at me,

He is putting his weight, all his weight, on one knee,

Now he's starting to fade, just a mere silhouette.

I can't breathe, people shout from one side the street,

I can't breathe, lungs are filled with both angst and defeat,

Can't they hear?! - riot gear on one side of the street,

All the world is a stage, every night on the set.

I can't breathe, too much smoke everywhere in the air,

I can't tell which of us, all of us, might get spared,

The whole city in flames, rising up in the air,

And the images spread, through the air, through the net.

I can't breathe, I can't breathe, i can't breathe, I can't breathe,

While the president tweets blatant lies through his teeth,

I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I can't breathe,

I can't breathe, I can't breathe as of yet.