Detour
Where would they have gone
If they had not driven off that day
Down the Redwood Highway
As far as where, until that morning,
The two southbound lanes
Had been supported by a bridge?
There were no 'DETOUR AHEAD' signs
Except for the slight shaking and
The rhythmic rocking of their car.
'What's that? she asked.
'I think we're getting a flat, '
Was his response until
He realized his headlights
Had stopped seeing
The reflectors and road lines.
Then they both saw
The other side
With only darkness in between.
At 60 mph there seemed nothinig
Between where they were and
Where the road begain again.
Instantly, she was attempting
To get in the back seat
To protect their children.
He was slamming both feet on the pedals,
Gripping the wheel, fighting for control
Of their VW Bug that was already airborne.
Through his windshield
He saw
What an earthquake can do
To a highway engineer's assumptions of
Friction coefficients and
The constant force of gravity.
Page ones across the world
Sunday morning had pictures
Of where they had landed;
Upside down
Thirty feet below
Where the bridge deck had been.
Front driiver's side
Mag wheel
Ripped off.
Re-bar slices
Can-opener like tears
On a grey car door.
The papers tell of little more
About him, his wife
And their three children:
'Twin boys age nine
And a girl
Age four.'
Except that
'They were packed
For a three-day holiday.
Now instead taken
To two local hospitals.
Expected to recover
From various injuries sustained...'
What did that reporter know?
He wasn't there.
If not for this detour,
Where would
The road of life taken them?
Because of it,
Where are they now?
Such is life.
poem by Tom J. Mariani
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Divided Highway
Simmons/peterik/fox
Two lanes - twistin down a dusty highway
Two souls - on their way to where it leads
Tail lights - fadin on the far horizon
But theres a detour on the road to destiny
It goes up in a blinding flash
When two reckless worlds collide
You cant avoid the crash
Sometimes in life we ride on
Divided highway - torn in two directions
Speedin out of sight through the night
Divided highway - stranded at the crossroads
Of whats wrong and whos right
Two hearts forgettin what they meant to each other
Too proud ever to admit the truth
Someday itll all seem clear
When two reckless worlds collide
Its gonna turn to tears
Why must we always ride a divided highway
On the road baby no-ones safe
When two reckless worlds collide
When we defend our faith
Thats when in life we ride a divided highway
Shuttin out the other side
Divided highway clingin to our foolish pride
Out on the road nowhere; nowhere to hide
Why must we always ride a divided highway
Torn in two directions; speedin outa sight
Divided highway stranded at the crossroads
Of whats wrong and whos right
Divided highway cuttin through the darkness
Searchin for the light
Divided highway ridin on the fine line
Between day and nite
Divided highway
song performed by by Doobie Brothers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Road We're On
'It's all a road we build'
he said
'you lay down the concrete
or tar for the asphalt;
you heat it
and take it through all the stages
with yellow lines
white lines-
a road has to have
boundaries and destinations.
There are the road signs:
'caution'
'soft shoulder'
'curves ahead'
'pedestrians'
'stop ahead'
'divided highway.'
'no u-turns.'
'highway patrol station
The thought
is whether the road we build
is our own
and whether it leads where we
want to go
and who on the road
we're traveling with.
Just like life.
Up and down hills;
speed bumps
parking lots
long rides
The trick is not to be
a highway statistic
didn't see the stop sign
ran over too many pedestrians.
or a high speed causality
best to hope for soft shoulders
and broad lanes
and the laughter of friends
as the sun shines overhead
taking us
home.
poem by Lonnie Hicks
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Take The Highway
See the stretching sun at dawning
Wipe the stardust from his eyes
Feel the morning breezes yawning
Telling me it's time to rise
Telling me it's time to rise
I was born to take the highway
I was born to chase a dream
Any road at all is my way
Any place is where i've been
Anything is what i've seen
Gambler's gold is made for squandering
Miser's silver is to hoard
My gold as the sky goes wandering
My silver is the drinking goard
My silver is the drinking goard
I was born to take the highway
I was born to chase a dream
Any road at all is my way
Any place is where i've been
Anything is what i've seen
I've skipped on concrete
Danced on cobbles
Stepped on pavement in the heat
I've seen where children crouched at marbles
Made chalk circles in the street
Found a penny at my feet
Found a penny at my feet
I was born to take the highway
I was born to chase a dream
Any road at all is my way
Any place is where i've been
Anything is what i've seen
Now i know a road that winds forever
Through the land the rainbows run
You cross the bridge from now till never
Take the first turn past the sun
Take the first turn beyond the sun
I was born to take the highway
I was born to chase a dream
Any road at all is my way
Any place is where i've been
Anything is what i've seen
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Open Road
I'm sitting at the wheel
I got a green light
Not afraid of nothin' cuz heart and soul
I'm built for life
So let the engine roar
Push the pedal down
I want the white lines on the highway
To lead me out of town
I'm rolling on and on and on
Who knows where I'm goin'?
Life is an open road - it's the best story never told
It's an endless sky - it's the deepest sea
Life is an open road to me
Life is an open road to me
I got headlights to guide me thru the night
I got the window down and the radio playing
It makes me feel alive
song performed by by Bryan Adams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When I stopped at home one day
Early in the morning
I gave the children food
and a goodbye kiss
to my still sleeping wife.
At times I dropped them
at school
and turned with the road
to the highway
to get to work
and when I stopped at home one day
there were no children
that came running out,
no wife knocking
at the outside door
and all the dogs were suddenly silent
and life took
its own course
and every thing
had passed just too quickly.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Why Did The Chicken Cross The Road
The chicken was undecided on whether to cross the road,
she was a short sighted chicken
who, not being able to see across the road
couldn't quite understand the advantages
of being on the other side.
People passing by the chicken
stopped to ask if she wanted to get across the road
but the chicken just clucked, indecisively,
looking very concerned as to her own
demise if she should attempt to.
After all, should she transverse the road
and avoid oncoming vehicles
she would then be stuck on the other side
but should she not, then she may well
feel unfulfilled, unaccomplished.
Not wanting to disappoint,
let down, or cause a disturbance
the chicken did a little shake,
a little flutter and hop, skipped
and jumped across the road.
A local lorry came hurtling towards her,
she saw the headlights, heard the horn
but too late! There were chicken bits
all over the place while a local
reporter took notes, writing:
We'll never know why the chicken
tried to cross that road in heavy traffic
but she was pronounced dead
on arrival at the local hospital.
They'll be no live chicken tonight.
poem by Ruth Walters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Endless Highway
J. r. robertson
Take a silver dollar and put it in your pocket,
Never let it slip away.
Always be a man, not a boy gone astray.
When ya get half cra-zy from the august heat
Or on a frozen, rotted road
With no one to complain to about your achin feet.
Chorus:
Youre gonna walk that endless highway,
Walk that high-way till you die.
All you children goin my way,
Better tell your home-life sweet goodbye.
When I see a detour up ahead,
Well, I leave it far behind,
Who knows what youre apt to find there.
With the cost of livin, and the price of dyin,
Well it look like tme this time I wont be buyin
Chorus
When they get a scapegoat by the throat,
Its hard labour and cold beans.
If ya get away real quick,
Youll be eatin from the poison peanut machine.
Well, I sing by night, wander by day.
Im on the road and it looks like Im here to stay.
Chorus
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Driving My Roads
I pull the truck out
and head for the open road-
our relationship
splattered all along the highway;
our history written on the highway signs;
The Good:
Curves Ahead
Soft Shoulder
Yield
Slippery when wet
The Bad:
Under Construction
Fines Double
Do Not Cross the Double Yellow
Uneven Highway
Stop
Icy Road
Slippery When Wet
Caution
Divorce
Everywhere memories
our Road Kill.
But I can see the mountains
from here.
I can see forever from here,
there is no destination
outside my windshield.
I can drive forever-
my radio my counselor
music my conductor
my friends live in the CB
I can drive forever
I can drive forever
away
far far away
from here.
poem by Lonnie Hicks
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Gunbarrel Highway
Ill give you something to write home about
And Ill take you somewhere, show you around
We burnt all the cars that laid down and died
We burnt all the trees to keep us alive
Sat round the fire, sang like a choir
With the ashes of civilisation in our eyes
I come alive, I read the signs on the gunbarrel highway
Far off a dull radio beats for the young uninvolved
The meanings a football
A stick and a can and a kakadu man
Will the speaker speak up or the talker talk down
The world is no oyster and here in this town
Shit falls like rain on a world that is brown
I come alive, I read the signs on the gunbarrel highway
I come alive, and the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
Nothing could be longer than that corrugated road
No ever follows where the road trains go
And no where in the country do the dust storms blow so hard
So hard
I come alive, I read the signs on the gunbarrel highway
I hear the sound, its the wheels as they drive
And the cultures collide on that highway
Ah, its a hard day, the children will sing as the
Satellite swings down that highway
song performed by by Midnight Oil
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nowhere Road
Theres trouble on the subway
Theres something on the track
Theres a dead end waiting and
We cant go back
So take it to the highway
Head back and open wide
Step right up and take a nowhere ride
Chorus:
Its a nowhere road
Its a nowhere road
No matter where it goes its a
Nowhere road
Its a nowhere road and Im tired
Its a nowhere job and Im fired
It dont matter what they say
You cant get there going this way
From l.a. to miami
And all points in between
Look outside you get the same old scene
You take it to the highway
You travel far and wide
Caterpillars carving up the country side
Chorus
Its a nowhere road and Im tired
Repeat
song performed by by Fastball
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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If Love Is Strong
We always take a detour
when there is a rocky road ahead,
but with love you never know
when it is right to take a detour.
You have to wade through
every coming storm,
hoping everything will turn out right.
If love is strong,
the storm will be a small squall,
with calmer waters
on the other side.
While you are in it
be prepared for a rough ride
until the storm recedes,
and peace is restored once more.
25 June 2007
poem by David Harris
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Contact
The tires are the things on your car
That make contact with the road
The car is the thing on the road
That takes you back to your abode
The tires are the things on your car
That make contact with the road
Bummed is what you are
When you go out to your car and its been towed
I woke up one morning in november
And I realized I love you
Its not your headlights in front
Your tailpipe, or the skylight above you
Its the way you cling to the road
When the wind tries to shove you
Id never go riding away
And come back home without you
song performed by by Phish
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Don't Talk Back
Well it's half my heart and a little bit of soul
That makes me feel I've gotta ride this road
I wouldn't change it if I could
And me and this road you
You know we've got an understanding
It won't leave me at home and I am
Too tired to do just what I should
And last night I asked if I could
Take comfort in the rosewood
The road said nothing at all
Well cos it don't talk back unless the wind blows hard
I drive it all night with the wheel of my car
It won't leave me running for the door
And if the paints still wet I can just slow down
And it all goes away on the other side of town
And nothing is that easy anymore
Well the hurt won't leave with the sight of white line
But it eases up my pain for a while
The only habit that I keep
And miles take time but the time is mine
And always moving suits me fine
I'll catch my breath when I sleep
And after all that I've done
I'm not half what I'd hope that I'd become
There's still along way to go
Well cos it don't talk back unless the wind blows hard
I drive it all night with the wheel of my car
It won't leave me running for the door
And if the paints still wet I can just slow down
And it all goes away on the other side of town
And nothing is that easy anymore
And last night I asked if I could
Take comfort in the rosewood
The road said nothing at all
Well cos it don't talk back unless the wind blows hard
I drive it all night with the wheel of my car
It won't leave me running for the door
And if the paints still wet I can just slow down
And it all goes away on the other side of town
And nothing is that easy anymore
Yeah cos it don't talk back unless the wind blows hard
I drive it all night with the wheel of my car
It won't leave me running for the door
And if the paints still wet I can just slow down
And it all goes away on the other side of town
And nothing is that easy anymore
song performed by by Kasey Chambers from The Captain
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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King's Highway
Ugh Yeah You should really turn this up
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
as loud as possible (that's what I'm talkin about)
Natural Bridge and King's Highway yeah
ask em' Where you headed?
Natural Bridge and King's Highway (yeah)
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
Come one with it
It's me and my derrty we just got back home
in the blue grey Bently with the cellular phone
Callin' up the 'tics time to get it jumpin'
smoke comin' out the sunroof to let em know we're comin'
Errebody lookin' if you're jealous turn around
21 inches keep me further from the ground
I'm gettin good grip from the Dunlop Tires
The F1's bumpin' but I need the volume higher
Cause there ain't no way get on the basement beat hits
J.E. and Wally got an wanna get some
I heard them haters talkin' but what am I to do?
I'm the men that little hate the Bill Clinton of the Lou'
Picked up some shorties on Skinker towards roastin'
Headed for the castlelot muskada got me croachin
Bently kinda crowded ol car was leanin' back
Shandra watchin' TV with two gurlies on their lap
Martin Luther King the setence kinda dead
Made a left on King's Highway
Natural Bridge is just ahead
So fresh and so clean
U City representin'
the St Lunatics on castlelot set
(Chorus)
Where you headed?
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
Come on with it
Where you headed?
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
(Basement beats gon' make it rock the tic's gon make it rock)
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
come on with it
Now rollin' with the tics you know we never bored
show me another click when more points scored
we walk around with criminals a bunch of big gorillas
My derrty Murphy Lee he's a teenage lady killer
Keyjuan is on my left side dancin' with this freak
The way she clap that *** make my knees get weak
JD is the white guy people think he's funny
Been down long time way before we had the money
But now we collectin' dollars from platinum to white gold
Swervin' in this Bentley and ain't got no place to go
Rollin' past Fairground what's up to the thugs
Shorties in their mini's wanna show a little love
but the dope man got em and they bust just right
shorties looked depressed cause that thing gon' stop
Headed back toward G and bust a Uie what the hell
Somebody shoutin' Nelly were damn near out of L's
Baby girl blew me a kiss said you're number one
then looked and me and I ain't gon tell you what she done
the closer we get the woozier I feel
Natural Bridge and King's Highway somebody take the wheel
Where you headed?
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
Come on with it
Where you headed?
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
(Basement beats gon' make it rock the tic's gon make it rock)
Natural Bridge and King's Highway
come on with it
song performed by by Nelly
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Turn Of The Road
WHERE confident, calm I strode,
I walk with hesitant feet;
For at yonder turn of the road
What shall I meet?
The youth of the day has gone,
And my shadow goes before;
I know that the road runs on —
I know no more.
I have travelled a goodly way,
As one at a glance may see,
Since the East and the break o' day
Called out to me.
Though the highway be hard to miss
With its signs and stones and such,
The worst of the road is this —
It turns too much.
For a part of its length it flows
(Too brief is that stretch, alas!)
'Twixt hedges of palm and rose,
O'er fern and grass.
The butterfly fancies flit
On their lit wings, gossamer-frail;
And a host of roysterers sit
At cakes and ale.
With the flight of their glory hour,
The Fancies flutter and die;
And the nectared heart of the flower
Grows sere and dry.
Though the cakes and ale are done,
And the roysterer's moment gone,
Yet under the slanting sun
The road winds on.
Good-bye to the flower and fern,
And the hedges at each grass-side! —
Maybe at the next road-turn
New pleasures hide.
New pleasures? 'Tis turned, and lo!
Hot miles and a driving dust
'Twixt trees that are grey as woe,
Gnarled limbs out-thrust!
Yet Hope is a bright allure,
A light in the hearts of men —
At the end of a league, for sure,
'Twill turn again.
Though the highway be hard to miss
With its signs and stones and such,
The best of the road is this —
It turns so much!
Towards the turn of the roadway you
I walk with hesitant feet;
When I come to the turn, anon —
What shall I meet?
poem by Roderic Quinn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Broken Man
When a man falls to the side of the road,
do you pick him up or just let him go,
as a piece of road kill on highway of life,
as he struggles to get up wiping away his tears,
I am a honest man doing the best I could,
but then, I have become broken,
never thought I would.
poem by Walter C. Edwards
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Act of God?
A coin when dropped will
In one second, fall sixteen feet
In two, sixty four
In three, one hundred and forty four.
They were driving back from Sydney
Mum and Dad and their two kids
The freeway was a nightmare
So they took the old road that they did.
The old road’s quite an old road
Been there for many years
The rain was slanting sideways
Being late home was their fear.
It was night and many lights were out
The road was dark and quite awash
Water running everywhere
The kids shrieked with every splash.
A short drive now back to the warmth
Of the house in which they lived
A short drive back now to that home
Where they brought up both their kids.
Just two and three I think they were
A precious time of life
The kids strapped in the back seat
In the front was man and wife.
A dip there in the road appeared
Just where there is a creek
But we’ll be home soon they both said
Both kids were now asleep.
‘Slow down now, that’s deep water’
Said the man unto his wife
Those were the very final words
He would utter in his life.
One hundred feet, one hundred feet
One hundred feet or more
Was the depth of that great puddle
Into which the rain had poured.
It was at a place called Somersby
When the rain had drained away
That they winched up that death carriage
On the following grey day.
Yes, the chasm it was very deep
A Grand Canyon not a puddle
So for everyone upon that road
And every time you loved ones cuddle
Just think of those four driving home
And think of their full fright
And hold each other closely
Each and every single night
We should live for every minute
We should relish every hour
For simple stupid circumstance
Can destroy life’s fragile flower.
A coin when dropped will
In one second fall sixteen feet
In two, sixty four
In three, one hundred and forty four.
It was that deep.
I met the family's best friend in a local pub yesterday. He had just got back from identifying the bodies.
poem by David Keig
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Holiday Road
I found out long ago
It's a long way down the Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Jack be nible, Jack be quick
Take a ride on a West Coast kick
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
I've come back long ago
Long way down the Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
Holiday Road
song performed by by Lindsey Buckingham
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Right Roads
Sometimes we have to detour
to get back on the right road.
We stop at different places
and get a little lost at times.
Something or someone
then comes along to guide us
back to the road where we belong.
Life has this way with us
when we’ve turned our dreams away.
It steers us to something or someone
to guide us along the way.
Once back on the right road
we find ourselves again
and travel down it happily
with a new purpose we’ve acquired.
As we go along that road
we inspire others to do the same
so they can find their dreams
and hold their personal fame.
7 September 2008
poem by David Harris
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Highway
Justin Hayward/John Lodge
It's a long, long highway
Will this road of life lead me to someone
Who sees the world in a grain of sand
Who holds the future in the palm of their hand, aaah
No one else can see things like I do
It's a long, long highway
Looking for a home where the seed was sown
And the harvest was young
Will this road of life lead me to someone, someone
The rays of sun and the light of dawn
My inspriation since the day I was born, aaah
No one else can see things like I do
It's a long, long highway
But don't make the start on an empty heart
When you think you've begun
Let the road of life lead you to someone, someone
Nothing is serious to me
I live for what will be (listen to me)
I can always be a dreamer
So trust your heart
Don't fall apart
You'll see
At your journey's end
You will find a friend in me
It's a long, long highway
Will this road of life lead me to someone
You touched the dream that was in your eyes
You took so long only to realize oooh
No one else can love you like I do
It's a long, long highway
Looking for a home where the seed was sown
And my harvest was young
Will this road of life lead me to someone
It's a long, long highway
But don't make a start
On an empty heart
It's a long, long highway
Let this road of life lead you to someone, someone
=====================================
[email protected] (Linda Bangert),
[email protected] (Karen Koster), and
[email protected] (Caroline Kellogg Haskin)
uploaded by the kind graces of [email protected](Mike
DeZelar)
song performed by by Moody Blues
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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