PAINTING 1 (to right)

First I noticed them moving to the left. They were in small groups. In the heavens also were continents--great masses of greens and the planets that had not yet moved.

The darkness had separated itself from space and had formed into cloudlike masses.

PAINTING 2 (to left)

Next, they gathered themselves into a pattern of kaleidoscopic beauty--the darkness becoming solid space and each asteroid upon impact became as a twinkling star and a design.

The heavens were beautiful.

PAINTING 3 (to right)

I went inside and stood at the back of the church and the preacher was preaching. He was a man in a great black coat. I knew I should not walk towards him while he was preaching but I did. When I reached him he was a dull-eyed man looking to one side. I asked him if he had seen the asteroids and he said "No." I led him outside.

While I had been inside the formation was going on in the heavens. All the particles were gathering. I sensed great speed. Then I realized we were on an asteroid too, and were nearing the formation.

PAINTING 4 (to lower left)

There was a long caravan of trucks, automobiles, and people moving away into the darkness. Two men on a motorcycle, at the end of the caravan, stopped and watched the formation. We were near. I got a glimpse of a huge black tower among great windowless buildings.

I knew I would not be crushed by the impact so I encouraged my weak-eyed companion and we walked forward.

Around the corner of a great white building I would be in a new place. I was very happy.

EDITOR'S NOTE

Bess mostly painted abstracts of hypnogogic visions/dreams--brief images flashing on the visual field in a half-awake state (for five examples, see Bess). But occasionally he painted REM dreams, with plots, characters and texts. This is the only complete set I know. Bess occasionally worried he was just projecting otherworldly symbolism onto his hypnogogic images; but here, his dream's running the show, and where does it take us? Swimmin' with the asteroids!

SOURCE: Forrest Bess: Key to the Riddle by Chuck Smith, 2013, pp.52-55.

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