Jim Morrison

– “American Poet” Essay, Research Paper

The Art of Emotions

Poetry is a diverse form of communication and there are vast arrays of elements that make up this very unique and specialized form of writing. Poetry is the art of apprehending and interpreting ideas by the faculty of imagination; the art of idealizing in thought and in expression. “For poetry is the blossom and the fragrance of all human knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, language.” (Coleridge) Like poetry, music is an avenue for the author to release new struggles that can be set free through no other means than verse.

Music is said to be the speech of angels. It has the beauty of loneliness, the pain of strength and freedom, and the disappointment and never-satisfied love. Music is verbal poetry. It encompasses a great many emotions, feelings, and desires and often represents rage, love, happiness, sorrow and despair. “Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. They teach you there’s a boundary line to music. But, man, there’s no boundary line to art.” (Parker) Music is a form of art. It allows a human being to take all the dry, technically boring but difficult techniques and uses them to create and simplify emotion. Plato once said, “Education in music is most sovereign because more than anything else rhythm and harmony find there way to the inmost soul and take strongest hold upon it.” Music is one thing science cannot duplicate: humanism, feeling, and emotion.

Jim Morrison, an American Rock legend, was often thought of only as a drunk musician and was also portrayed to many as an addict and another “doped up” rock star. These negative opinions project a large shadow on the many positive aspects of this great poet. Many famous authors influenced Jim’s music heavily and pushed his music into poetry. Standing behind these prejudiced flaws of Jim Morrison and other poets, you see very intellectual poetry. For example he integrated philosophers thoughts into his own unique thought and expanded their views into his own.

In his poem, “Car Cemetery”, Jim Morrison is saying that all that is dead becomes

new again in its own environment. The night is the environment and the keeper of the graveyard is really the protector of the memories of the dead. Those that follow, who are the children, mock that which they don’t understand. The cars are the memories of the people and the dead is the memories.

His songs and poems were the historical collection of writings from great philosophers and poets alike. The greatly controversial lyrics and actions of the newly forming Doors, were created by Jim’s corrupted mind. Through his alcoholic and psychedelic hazed mind ran the songs and lyrics of an unknown concert. The drugs taken were only to help open these many doors in his mind. Although his mind seemed lost in the infinite drug world, Jim Morrison was the “American Poet.” His crave for knowledge was driven by curiosity and only used drugs, not as an exit, but rather as an entrance into his world of buried emotions. “Break on through,” was his way of expressing the opening of the Doors.

Many do not know poet’s lives and the meaning of poetry and lyrics. Most see alcoholics, as others see addicts. But for those who take the time to put themselves in the poets position and take the time to learn and understand, will find out that behind the “American Poet” and many other poets are young geniuses and ordinary people. Music and poetry is just another way for some to express buried thoughts. Music and Poetry is the art of emotions.