Poetry by Jack B. Bedell: Hungry Dark: A Twin Peaks Triptych

Hungry Dark: A Twin Peaks Triptych

 •Nothing Beats the Taste Sensation
       When Maple Syrup Collides with Ham

—S1:E4

There’s real truth to that, Agent Cooper,
       and to the ice cold of a dead
		woman’s hand. But what fires

could dream-truth light? What pretty
	song would you remember upon waking,
		and could the steps of that dance

still lead your way? Enjoy your coffee
	while it’s hot. Take two sips
		if you can. And quick bites

of your pie before the testimony rolls in.
	Just keep stacking plates and empty
		drinks as you go. Your dream soul

will stay on the case. Let him follow
	those tracks left on the road.
		For sure, you two will meet up soon.

•That’s Our Waldo

—S1:E7

I wonder what the bird remembers
	when it croaks out “Laura.”
		Does the sound of a flash bulb

pop in its mind as the name begins
	in its throat? Can it feel her cold
		skin on the bottoms of its feet?

Smell her perfume for just a moment
	before it rolls that RRR-ahhh?
		It has to think about her

eyes. Everyone does. It has to connect
	that name to her laugh. Mynas 
                are smart enough to count.

It knows how many hands
	were in that last room, how many fingers
		wrapped around her neck,

how many breaths she took
	before the cloth was thrown
		over its cage, before

everything became stale air,
	hungry dark, and the naked 
                sound of an empty cabin.

•This Is the Water, and This Is the Well

—The Return, E8

Spread your smile, girl, and open
	your throat a bit to let the truth
slide all the way in. It will
	fold its wings and swim
tight circles in your belly.

Like the trembling radio told
	each one of us, Drink full
and all will end. Swallow hard
	to help. That locust’s come
across the desert just for you.

It’s waited 11 falls to crack
	its shell and drag itself
through white sand to your
	window, so rest your head. 
Let the others bleed.

No need to worry about ghosts.
	The sun will sort them out
in the morning. You’ve got
	growing to do now with this new 
burden, and all it’s set to unleash.

About the poetry

This triptych is inspired by the acclaimed television series Twin Peaks created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. The second poem “That’s Our Waldo” will appear in the Twin Peaks inspired poetry anthology, These Poems Are Not What They Seem. Look for this book in 2020, edited by Kristin Garth and Justin Karcher, published by APEP Publications.