lean and mean III

In many ways this is a very sad book. Wilderness: The Lost Writings of Jim Morrison collects unpublished works by rock legend Jim Morrison. Those familiar with Morrison and his group The Doors know that Morrison wished to be regarded as a poet and not a rock star. His hero was French poet Arthur Rimbaud. The name of the group came from William Blake via Aldous Huxley. Morrison was familiar with both the Huxley book on mescaline and the Blake proverb that inspired the title. (If the Doors of Perception were cleansed, Man would see things as they truly are: infinite)

Morrison often wrote song lyrics that can hold up as poetry. He added a surrealistic touch to the basic sex and party motif of simpler rock music. He also privately published a couple volumes of poetry during his brief lifetime. The influence of Beat poets and 19th Century French poets resound throughout his body of work. Morrison also had an interest in film. He studied film at UCLA and had a classmate named Francis Ford Coppola. This interest in film also came through strongly in his writing.

The collected writings in Wilderness reveal an extraordinary level of potential but that potential was never fully realized. I know I'm going to step on the toes of a lot of Doors devotees here but there is a lot of sophomoric dribbling and incomplete thought in these pages. Morrison often tapped into a good vein and then stopped short without delivering the knockout punch. There is an fragmented quality to many of the untitled works here.

But as I wade through the pages of the book, I also discover some real gems. He could conjure some strong images and did have a strong command of language. That is why the book has a sadness to it. Had he not died at the age of 27, he likely would have developed into a world class poet. He was able to be very precise at times:

I am troubled
immeasurably
by your eyes

I am struck
by the feather
of your soft
reply

The sound of glass
speaks quick
disdain

and conceals
what your eyes fight
to explain

The brevity here reminds me of some of William Carlos Williams zen like short poems. There are numerous moments like this in the book. There was a bona fide poet emerging. It should also be noted in fairness to Morrison that this is a posthumous release. He likely would not have approved all the material in the book being released for public consumption. There is the very real factor of heirs K-chinging off the dead legend.

I think fans of The Doors should be anxious to read these pages. I also think it is worthwhile for people who appreciate poetry to read the works. It is like a young Chatterton being cut down before fullfilling the promise. I think Morrison would have grown into a prominent poetic voice were he still alive. I do get the sense of exploitation with this book. I think there were people trying to cash in off Morrison's reputation by making it a 200+ page book. If you cut out some of the incomplete fragments, you would have a more fitting tribute to a rock and roll poet.

Recommended: Yes