071719   071720

Generations ago Grandpa Reverend Reed
his moral leadership maintained
a policeman in Ohio should let him
elude the law without a citation.

John was in the lead across Wisconsin
too fast
mindless of cops
we were passed by a speeding car
that car was pulled over for a ticket
an infraction on the side of the road.

Years after Wisconsin
I said to a cop a block from home
if you need to give me a ticket for rolling around the corner without a complete stop
go ahead I’m in a hurry to work.