Image from www.weheartit.com
Between the firs and pines
the Garmonbozia crept
like the creamed corn centre
of a right brain unravelling
the analytical left side
When it finally weaved it’s way
silently through my bedroom window
and fed my thoughts, I was captured
my senses and sensitivities
for senseless mystery and tragedy
poured onto the pages of a diary
and I was drowned by the pink room
Thrown off balance here and there
by a man from another place
whose inflections spun circles
and then reversed around my
confusion for a while, until I
turned a page and logic restored
I ploughed ahead to a land where
the angels can’t protect you
because they’re gone, hiding faces
that burst into flames as I learned how
the fire really could walk with me
Written in response to Anna Montgomery’s Poetics Prompt for dVerse Poets for which we were asked to focus on words! Unusual words, new words, old words, non words and everything in between! Garmonbozia was a term used by David Lynch in his controversial creation Twin Peaks. The word is used to describe pain and suffering and was depicted by a visual of creamed corn in the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me . The Man from Another Place (played by Michael J. Andersen) was a fictional character who existed in Black Lodge and spoke in an unusual double reversed speech (see Twin Peaks wiki for information on the technique used).
nice…have not thought of twin peaks in some time…the creme corn of the brain….haha…love that opening stanza…nice intensity in this too…esp those last couple lines…from the land where no angels tread to the end…tight….cool piece vanessa…
Thanks again. The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer travelled through my teenage years with me and I was totally captivated by it.
This is a terrific example of how words can set the atmosphere. When mixed with visual symbolism this adds another layer of artistry. I just saw a documentary on great directors that included David Lynch. I’ve seen his Elephant Man but never Twin Peaks; clearly I need to remedy this oversight. Delicious!
Thanks Anna! The movie received quite a lot of criticism actually and it can be hard to keep track of, but I kept a copy of The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer for many years. Not a comfortable read but very powerful I felt. Xx
This is pretty surreal, and yes, intense.
Thank you, glad you think so.
Interesting prose on Twin Peaks and secret diary ~ I specially like the third stanza ~ checking on your link for more info
Thank you, really glad you are keen to learn more.
A lyrical masterpiece, Vanessa. I love the mysterious feel of this piece. ~ Truly! ~ Love, B
Ah, love to you lady, thanks
Garmonbozia is a cool word for sure…and you spun the tale well and then the closure is just perfect…and i agree with tornadoday…feels mysterious and that adds to the tightness
Thanks Claudia, yes it is one cool word, had fun with the mystery here!
I love the idea of being drowned in the pink room! (I know those rooms.) And the creamed corn of the unraveling brain. k.
Thank you, really glad you enjoyed it x
this is an intriguing write… Garmonbozia providing a great pivot for the ‘between’ and for exploring the 2 sides of the brain..:) Love that description in S1
I remember Twin Peaks – TV series in the 80s – was ahead of its time and a classic of blending styles. The music! Perfect subject for this prompt.
Thank you, it was quite nostalgic revisiting Twin Peaks and all it’s oddities!
I loved Twin Peaks! So crazy, and the music was perfect. I think there were more made up words, too. That series was way ahead of its time. Great poem, too, Vanessa. Very nice!
I think there probably were more words, and yes the music, I had forgotten all about that! Thanks Charles.
Excellent wordery! Love it.
Excellent commentary, love it too!
How really strange, Lynchian maybe, I have been watching TwinPeaks on TV for the last few weeks. Lynch is one of my fave directors, and I think this poem is very much in his spirit. Lovely depiction of a dream(?) where all is suggestive of deeper levels to reality.
Hey there! Very Lynchian indeed.. What a weird coincidence. I was only reminded of it accidentally whilst trying to write my first poem which I then lost, and so Twin Peaks was my second write…. He’d love the twist in that little plot!
land where the angles can’t protect you -> i like that.
in terms of the picture, is that the only thing they serve – cherry pie?
bonus track
Cherry pie, laced with narcotics, murder and a parallel universe…
Lovely words. This is so different from what I expected from the photo. I think ” right brain unravelling the analytical left side” put me bacl on track. I never saw Twin Peaks.
Interesting backstory to the wordplay
mysterious and captivating. the pink bedroom, the man from another place,the flames. and oh, the creamed corn centre. fantastic!!
Thank you, so glad you stopped by and left a comment too, double gratitude!
Good stuff. reminds me it’s about time I broke open that Twin Peaks box set I bought a year or so back.
Ha ha, hope you enjoy Nick….
I never caught on to Twin Peaks, so your explanation is greatly appreciated. But I love “the creamed corn centre/of the right brain unravelling/the left side”–and the ending left me gobsmacked. Thank you.
And I am gob smacked by your kind comment, thank you!
Really cool piece. I love the word choices here, unique, fun, and the allusions are really neat. I used to love the twin peaks show, really nice to see it referred to here. Great read. Thanks