90spoems/hwy61blu

THE HIGHWAY 61 INTERSTATE TRAVEL BLUES

Drivin’ north of Memphis on old highway 61,
with no way to get there and nothin’ of my own.
Just remember me to all the people who are gone,
tell them it’s too late but I am comin’ home.

I used to live here and so did my grandpa too,
but I had someplace to get to, somethin’ I had to do.
Don’t ask me if I got there, ’cause I don’t really know,
I just listened to the highway and it always sayin’ go.

Can’t remember what home looked like now, can’t hear my grandpa’s voice,
but all that’s coming back to roost used to be my choice.
What else can choices do, `specially the ones that aren’t the best?
Cross-country travel left me nothin’ I can talk about,
and no place I can rest.

Forward or back looks all the same to me,
center line , I can’t even see.
Interstate travel left me all alone,
got no place else to get to and nothin’ to call home.

I got a mean kind of loneliness from a life that didn’t fit,
must be all that’s truly mine `cause it don’t ever wanta quit.
Don’t know why but things didn’t turn out for my generation
I guess it’s true a good short tether is a more freedom than liberation.

Drivin’ north of Memphis on old highway 61,
nothin’ I can hold on to, nothin’ of my own.
Please recall me to the folks who have died
tell `em it’s too late, tell `em the highway lied.

Drivin’ north of Memphis on old highway 61,
this great, grey vein we fed on claimed us for its own,
the whisper that used to sooth us turned into an ugly roar
now home is a place I can’t even get to anymore.

Drivin’ north of Memphis on old Highway 61,
with no way to get there and nothin’ of my own.
Please remember me to everyone who’s gone
tell them it’s too late, but I am comin’ home.