Lost Highway
Table of Contents:
1. Lost Highway
2. Redux
3. Early Encounters
4. Galaxy Tour
5. Planned Planethood
6. Fateful Night
7. Planet Cauliflower
8. Jupitopia
END
Table of Contents:
1. Lost Highway
2. Redux
3. Early Encounters
4. Galaxy Tour
5. Planned Planethood
6. Fateful Night
7. Planet Cauliflower
8. Jupitopia
END
Lost Highway
The convention was over, the road home was long
The radio garbled an old country song
And speaking of country, this highway was rural
With so many stars the sky looked like a mural
My eyelids grew heavy, I had to pull over
Got out, stretched my legs in a soft field of clover
I opened the thermos and drank the last coffee
That’s when a green and blue light above caught me
Hon, get me my glasses, get back in the car
I don’t like the look of that weird looking star
It could be a plane or maybe it’s Venus
Then it came closer, I knew it had seen us
Row after row of blue lights and bright windows
Making no sound as it moved like the wind blows
My lady was trembling and I took her hand
That’s when the huge metal craft came to land
I felt myself floating, my legs turned to butter
Dear, come inside, said my wife with a shudder
Then they surrounded me, I watched them scurry
Just wait right here, I said, try not to worry
Up to the spaceship no need for a staircase
I was a species of interest to their race
Eye to eye contact I made with the mantis
‘We aren’t from Earth, but our base is Atlantis’
Why do I hear you, you’re inside my head
‘We are your parents, from us you were bred’
Time is of essence soon Earth will see famine
Lay on the table, we need to examine
I was afraid but I tried to be stoic
The voice in my head said be calm and heroic
You may not remember but we’ve met before
Then they released me to float out the door
Back in the car was my wife unaware
What in the world were you doing out there?
Sorry my darling but I had to go
Drank too much coffee, right through me, you know
Put in the keys the car started right up
Dumped out the coffee now cold in my cup
Back on the highway we drove through the night
Except for the implants I guess we’re alright
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/7/2021
The convention was over, the road home was long
The radio garbled an old country song
And speaking of country, this highway was rural
With so many stars the sky looked like a mural
My eyelids grew heavy, I had to pull over
Got out, stretched my legs in a soft field of clover
I opened the thermos and drank the last coffee
That’s when a green and blue light above caught me
Hon, get me my glasses, get back in the car
I don’t like the look of that weird looking star
It could be a plane or maybe it’s Venus
Then it came closer, I knew it had seen us
Row after row of blue lights and bright windows
Making no sound as it moved like the wind blows
My lady was trembling and I took her hand
That’s when the huge metal craft came to land
I felt myself floating, my legs turned to butter
Dear, come inside, said my wife with a shudder
Then they surrounded me, I watched them scurry
Just wait right here, I said, try not to worry
Up to the spaceship no need for a staircase
I was a species of interest to their race
Eye to eye contact I made with the mantis
‘We aren’t from Earth, but our base is Atlantis’
Why do I hear you, you’re inside my head
‘We are your parents, from us you were bred’
Time is of essence soon Earth will see famine
Lay on the table, we need to examine
I was afraid but I tried to be stoic
The voice in my head said be calm and heroic
You may not remember but we’ve met before
Then they released me to float out the door
Back in the car was my wife unaware
What in the world were you doing out there?
Sorry my darling but I had to go
Drank too much coffee, right through me, you know
Put in the keys the car started right up
Dumped out the coffee now cold in my cup
Back on the highway we drove through the night
Except for the implants I guess we’re alright
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/7/2021
Lost Highway, Redux
The miles and markers kept passing us by
Soon came another strange light in the sky
This one had violet, amber and green
Got a good look it was quite a machine
All of its underside covered with tech
Not a square inch of relief, not a spec
Then came the humming a very low sound
Empty rest area there it set down
For no rhyme or reason I pulled in the car
Perhaps for a glimpse of this runaway star
Just before morning as if right on cue
A door opened out popped an alien crew
Eight little people and most of them gray
One of them taller who kept them at bay
They formed a tight circle and held stringy hands
Tilted their heads back blew bright smoke ring bands
Out from the tree tops flew thousands of bats
They zoomed through the smoke rings gone this way and that
The tall in charge alien broke out some crackers
Feeding the now glowing bats become snackers
That’s when a siren began a low growl
There in the distance approached something foul
All of the aliens rushed back on board
Took off avoiding a new alien horde
This craft was different, and not of this time
Perhaps a time-fugitive fleeing some crime
More like a jelly fish deep in a chasm
Not made of metal but lit protoplasm
Now little beams did from door disembark
I stood by thinking this must be the Arc
Come for to spirit us off from the past
Adam and Eve so the humans could last
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/8/2021
The miles and markers kept passing us by
Soon came another strange light in the sky
This one had violet, amber and green
Got a good look it was quite a machine
All of its underside covered with tech
Not a square inch of relief, not a spec
Then came the humming a very low sound
Empty rest area there it set down
For no rhyme or reason I pulled in the car
Perhaps for a glimpse of this runaway star
Just before morning as if right on cue
A door opened out popped an alien crew
Eight little people and most of them gray
One of them taller who kept them at bay
They formed a tight circle and held stringy hands
Tilted their heads back blew bright smoke ring bands
Out from the tree tops flew thousands of bats
They zoomed through the smoke rings gone this way and that
The tall in charge alien broke out some crackers
Feeding the now glowing bats become snackers
That’s when a siren began a low growl
There in the distance approached something foul
All of the aliens rushed back on board
Took off avoiding a new alien horde
This craft was different, and not of this time
Perhaps a time-fugitive fleeing some crime
More like a jelly fish deep in a chasm
Not made of metal but lit protoplasm
Now little beams did from door disembark
I stood by thinking this must be the Arc
Come for to spirit us off from the past
Adam and Eve so the humans could last
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/8/2021
Lost Highway, the Early Encounters
It started in upstate Long Island New York
Two girls and a boy watching ‘Mindy and Mork’
Outside the house hanging out on the porch
Three little kids and a robot named Gort
None of us knew that our UFO toy
Given to us by a little green boy
Was actually factually from outer space
Here to check up on the whole human race
Somehow we knew Gort would do us no harm
But mama came out and set off the alarm
The robot took off with the spaceship and crew
And we were all grounded a Summer or two
They all moved away except mama and me
She bought me a telescope so I could see
All of the stars seemed to live on my roof
So I bought a camera to capture the proof
I sat in my room and I turned off the light
But dozed off to sleep until later that night
Out on the roof came a tap on the pane
I just assumed it was only the rain
Then came the beeping and other strange sound
Stuck my head out, started looking around
I saw a big alien like forty feet tall
He said to be careful, make sure you don’t fall
‘Where’s your computer,’ he asked with weird clicks
‘Go bring it out here, I’ll teach you some tricks’
And every night he would come back around
Teaching me math that was really profound
All were surprised how I excelled in school
Mom was so happy she bought me a pool
The alien left and he said, ‘I’ll be back-
I’m leaving Gort with you to keep you on track’
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/8/2021
It started in upstate Long Island New York
Two girls and a boy watching ‘Mindy and Mork’
Outside the house hanging out on the porch
Three little kids and a robot named Gort
None of us knew that our UFO toy
Given to us by a little green boy
Was actually factually from outer space
Here to check up on the whole human race
Somehow we knew Gort would do us no harm
But mama came out and set off the alarm
The robot took off with the spaceship and crew
And we were all grounded a Summer or two
They all moved away except mama and me
She bought me a telescope so I could see
All of the stars seemed to live on my roof
So I bought a camera to capture the proof
I sat in my room and I turned off the light
But dozed off to sleep until later that night
Out on the roof came a tap on the pane
I just assumed it was only the rain
Then came the beeping and other strange sound
Stuck my head out, started looking around
I saw a big alien like forty feet tall
He said to be careful, make sure you don’t fall
‘Where’s your computer,’ he asked with weird clicks
‘Go bring it out here, I’ll teach you some tricks’
And every night he would come back around
Teaching me math that was really profound
All were surprised how I excelled in school
Mom was so happy she bought me a pool
The alien left and he said, ‘I’ll be back-
I’m leaving Gort with you to keep you on track’
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/8/2021
Lost Highway, Galaxy Tour
The craft hung above us that dark lonely night
Sprinkling our car with a shower of light
But not like the light from a lamp on a table
This more like bubbles and very unstable
Swirling around in a whirling cascade
A tinkling of glass was the sound that it made
Little light bubbles that stuck to your hands
Whisked us away to strange planets and lands
All of the fabric of space-time was bent
Multiple doorways to go where you’re sent
One doorway led to an indigo planet
Two hundred mile tall jellyfish ran it
They sent us a message inside of our brains
‘Look at our oceans of indigo rains
Bathe in their waters and you will grow younger
Never feel pain or experience hunger’
Up by the arms we were carried by bubbles
Some of us stayed to be rid of our troubles
I chose to finish the galaxy tour
And said my goodbyes to this planet azure
Now in a moment the time-craft did zoom
Slicing past moons like a witch on her broom
All began fading, our matter moved on
We kept pixelating until we were gone
Then we arrived at the Planet Anemone
Where color was king, monoculture the enemy
Where scarlet-red Rubicons jumped on their beds
Nowhere has ever existed more reds
Once again bubbles came sprinkling down
Some on my head formed a red-ruby crown
Everyone laughed, but I wore it proudly
We boarded the ship and it took off quite loudly
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
The craft hung above us that dark lonely night
Sprinkling our car with a shower of light
But not like the light from a lamp on a table
This more like bubbles and very unstable
Swirling around in a whirling cascade
A tinkling of glass was the sound that it made
Little light bubbles that stuck to your hands
Whisked us away to strange planets and lands
All of the fabric of space-time was bent
Multiple doorways to go where you’re sent
One doorway led to an indigo planet
Two hundred mile tall jellyfish ran it
They sent us a message inside of our brains
‘Look at our oceans of indigo rains
Bathe in their waters and you will grow younger
Never feel pain or experience hunger’
Up by the arms we were carried by bubbles
Some of us stayed to be rid of our troubles
I chose to finish the galaxy tour
And said my goodbyes to this planet azure
Now in a moment the time-craft did zoom
Slicing past moons like a witch on her broom
All began fading, our matter moved on
We kept pixelating until we were gone
Then we arrived at the Planet Anemone
Where color was king, monoculture the enemy
Where scarlet-red Rubicons jumped on their beds
Nowhere has ever existed more reds
Once again bubbles came sprinkling down
Some on my head formed a red-ruby crown
Everyone laughed, but I wore it proudly
We boarded the ship and it took off quite loudly
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
Lost Highway, Planned Planethood
Now the time-craft took us deep into space
Pausing in such a mysterious place
For this was a fill-up to gather more bubbles
And up from below they came streaming in doubles
Some alien race had a spaceman positioned
Poking his head through a time-space partition
He held by the stem an incredible circle
Blowing out bubbles in red blue and purple
They passed by our portholes providing close looks
At new tiny planets like those seen in books!
Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune with stripes
Venus and others, all kinds and all types
This seemed amazing to all on the craft
Each one an island at sea on a raft
An archipelago, a one-of-a-kind
As were the neurons at work in my mind
This was the reason the time-craft had paused
A teachable moment on universe laws
So as below it is said, as above
This was how aliens showed us their love
Then we were off once again to explore
One of those bubbles got stuck in the door
I volunteered for the rescue and spacewalk
Planning the mission on chalkboard and space chalk
Out of the portal I floated untethered
Wearing a time suit a bit old and weathered
Carrying under my arm an old spray can
In case of emergency get-home-I-still-can
And wouldn’t you know it, that can came in handy
The spacewalk cut short by a bottle of brandy
Floating around in the middle of space
Nowhere was safe from the junk of our race
Once back inside I slipped out of the time suit
Then a quick shower to detox the time boots
Sat in my seat and let back the recliner
Ate the small meal they served on the time liner
Off at just under the speed of a light beam
Towing behind us an alien airstream
Bubbles went spinning as if in a blender
More crazy planets next on the agenda
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
Now the time-craft took us deep into space
Pausing in such a mysterious place
For this was a fill-up to gather more bubbles
And up from below they came streaming in doubles
Some alien race had a spaceman positioned
Poking his head through a time-space partition
He held by the stem an incredible circle
Blowing out bubbles in red blue and purple
They passed by our portholes providing close looks
At new tiny planets like those seen in books!
Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune with stripes
Venus and others, all kinds and all types
This seemed amazing to all on the craft
Each one an island at sea on a raft
An archipelago, a one-of-a-kind
As were the neurons at work in my mind
This was the reason the time-craft had paused
A teachable moment on universe laws
So as below it is said, as above
This was how aliens showed us their love
Then we were off once again to explore
One of those bubbles got stuck in the door
I volunteered for the rescue and spacewalk
Planning the mission on chalkboard and space chalk
Out of the portal I floated untethered
Wearing a time suit a bit old and weathered
Carrying under my arm an old spray can
In case of emergency get-home-I-still-can
And wouldn’t you know it, that can came in handy
The spacewalk cut short by a bottle of brandy
Floating around in the middle of space
Nowhere was safe from the junk of our race
Once back inside I slipped out of the time suit
Then a quick shower to detox the time boots
Sat in my seat and let back the recliner
Ate the small meal they served on the time liner
Off at just under the speed of a light beam
Towing behind us an alien airstream
Bubbles went spinning as if in a blender
More crazy planets next on the agenda
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
Lost Highway, Fateful Night
So let’s take it back to that first fateful night
I was driving the grapevine the moon full and bright
Hugging the curves, road was icy and slick
I needed a downshift and needed it quick
The car began spinning near out of control
I took out a guardrail and started to roll
Balanced precariously, edge of a cliff
Someone with smelling salts gave me a whiff
Opened my eyes and I shook out the fog
Found myself staring at some kind of frog
Great big weird eyes and the skin tone was green
Took me aboard a balloon submarine
Sixty feet long with a lit-up inside
Some kind of hospital, I thought I died
That’s when I found myself flat on my back
Tried to cry out but my voice only cracked
Laid there surrounded by little green men
One held a notebook and gave me a pen
Please sign your name said the voice in my brain
Maybe a leprechaun? No, that’s insane
I signed with my right hand that’s all I could move
Then I was probed with a long silver tube
I thought it was strange to give informed consent
Red tape just followed wherever you went
In walked a woman, a tall robust blonde
Started massaging me right on the wand
After the sample she came to collect
She turned back into some kind of insect
Next thing I knew I was back at the scene
Looking around me for anyone green
Got in the car and drove off in the night
All the way home suspicious of light
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
So let’s take it back to that first fateful night
I was driving the grapevine the moon full and bright
Hugging the curves, road was icy and slick
I needed a downshift and needed it quick
The car began spinning near out of control
I took out a guardrail and started to roll
Balanced precariously, edge of a cliff
Someone with smelling salts gave me a whiff
Opened my eyes and I shook out the fog
Found myself staring at some kind of frog
Great big weird eyes and the skin tone was green
Took me aboard a balloon submarine
Sixty feet long with a lit-up inside
Some kind of hospital, I thought I died
That’s when I found myself flat on my back
Tried to cry out but my voice only cracked
Laid there surrounded by little green men
One held a notebook and gave me a pen
Please sign your name said the voice in my brain
Maybe a leprechaun? No, that’s insane
I signed with my right hand that’s all I could move
Then I was probed with a long silver tube
I thought it was strange to give informed consent
Red tape just followed wherever you went
In walked a woman, a tall robust blonde
Started massaging me right on the wand
After the sample she came to collect
She turned back into some kind of insect
Next thing I knew I was back at the scene
Looking around me for anyone green
Got in the car and drove off in the night
All the way home suspicious of light
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/9/2021
Lost Highway, Planet Cauliflower
Jumping back into the space-time continuum
We searched more planets and let’s get right into ‘em
One was the beautiful Planet Cauliflower
Grew ever more spongy with every rain shower
The surface was skin as when viewed microscopic
Atmosphere challenged but let’s stay on topic
Small population who once every hour
Bounced between crest to the next cauliflower
Rooted in skin cells were stalks of spaghetti
Where colorful cambium stood at the ready
Sweet-scented caramel hung in the air
Too high in sugar but I didn’t care
Watching the planet mom nursing its children
Made us all wonder why salad chefs kill them
Answer provided by sun shower’s blessing
Rain was made up of an herb salad dressing
Back in the time-craft we seated ourselves
Munching on broccoli cooked by space elves
Who worked in the kitchens of time-craft like these
Foods brought from home kept us free of disease
Off did we rocket, the thrusters engaged
I never looked back but could still smell the sage
Hostess began serving meals up in front
Tonight it was cauliflower, would be all month
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/10/2021
Jumping back into the space-time continuum
We searched more planets and let’s get right into ‘em
One was the beautiful Planet Cauliflower
Grew ever more spongy with every rain shower
The surface was skin as when viewed microscopic
Atmosphere challenged but let’s stay on topic
Small population who once every hour
Bounced between crest to the next cauliflower
Rooted in skin cells were stalks of spaghetti
Where colorful cambium stood at the ready
Sweet-scented caramel hung in the air
Too high in sugar but I didn’t care
Watching the planet mom nursing its children
Made us all wonder why salad chefs kill them
Answer provided by sun shower’s blessing
Rain was made up of an herb salad dressing
Back in the time-craft we seated ourselves
Munching on broccoli cooked by space elves
Who worked in the kitchens of time-craft like these
Foods brought from home kept us free of disease
Off did we rocket, the thrusters engaged
I never looked back but could still smell the sage
Hostess began serving meals up in front
Tonight it was cauliflower, would be all month
Joseph John Racano
©@JosephJohnRacano/2/10/2021
Lost Highway, Jupitopia
With time at a premium the craft flew on
Systems beyond counting having come and gone
Twisting in the timestream caused the fuselage to burn
We had to seek our refuge in the tunnel of no return
Up ahead we saw the tiny light of singularity
Voices from the cockpit uttered alien vulgarity
Then we started turning in a wide and sweeping arc
Whoosh! Inside the tunnel now, and everything went dark
Numbers on the ceiling bold equations on the walls
Strobing lights and haunting sights and muffled alien calls
Images and glimpses offered up inside the pipe
Made it clear that we should steer back home, the time was ripe
The spaceship took us all the way, a worm hole through a doorway
Out we popped the madness stopped four planets North of Norway
From the portal, we observed the giant cloud of Jupiter
A global storm of violence born ‘neath the cold dark shroud of Lucifer
Once around at the speed of sound, the belt of Jupitopia
Colored streams of smoke and beams, a mad artist’s utopia
The lights above our seats told us to use the straps provided
Anyone who didn’t may have had their fate decided
That is when the spinning started faster ever faster
Noses everywhere were bloody signals of disaster
Then the spaceship plunged its nose directly in the storm
From all human ears came leaking liquid red and warm
Up the new direction took us
saving all from what just shook us
How could we have ever known
this would be our brand new home
LOST HIGHWAY- epilogue:
We pressed the buzzers at our seats
requesting moist towelettes and treats
And bravely came the servile elves
who thought of us before themselves
After all was clean and bright
the ship took off into the night
Humans who were left behind
think Jupitopia sublime
We lay awake and watch the stars
use our drones to shop on Mars
To the stars we shall return
we know we still have much to learn
the end
With time at a premium the craft flew on
Systems beyond counting having come and gone
Twisting in the timestream caused the fuselage to burn
We had to seek our refuge in the tunnel of no return
Up ahead we saw the tiny light of singularity
Voices from the cockpit uttered alien vulgarity
Then we started turning in a wide and sweeping arc
Whoosh! Inside the tunnel now, and everything went dark
Numbers on the ceiling bold equations on the walls
Strobing lights and haunting sights and muffled alien calls
Images and glimpses offered up inside the pipe
Made it clear that we should steer back home, the time was ripe
The spaceship took us all the way, a worm hole through a doorway
Out we popped the madness stopped four planets North of Norway
From the portal, we observed the giant cloud of Jupiter
A global storm of violence born ‘neath the cold dark shroud of Lucifer
Once around at the speed of sound, the belt of Jupitopia
Colored streams of smoke and beams, a mad artist’s utopia
The lights above our seats told us to use the straps provided
Anyone who didn’t may have had their fate decided
That is when the spinning started faster ever faster
Noses everywhere were bloody signals of disaster
Then the spaceship plunged its nose directly in the storm
From all human ears came leaking liquid red and warm
Up the new direction took us
saving all from what just shook us
How could we have ever known
this would be our brand new home
LOST HIGHWAY- epilogue:
We pressed the buzzers at our seats
requesting moist towelettes and treats
And bravely came the servile elves
who thought of us before themselves
After all was clean and bright
the ship took off into the night
Humans who were left behind
think Jupitopia sublime
We lay awake and watch the stars
use our drones to shop on Mars
To the stars we shall return
we know we still have much to learn
the end
