Jim Morrison's post-mortem poetry album with the surviving Doors.

Have you ever heard American Prayer. When he wasn't recording, Jim Morrison used to record his poetry -- in regular voice, not song -- into a tape recorder. After his death, the surviving Doors put it into music. It is tremendous. I heard it tonight for the first time in forever.

Here is the first poem (set to Ray M.'s amazing keyboards) that is on the album. You tell me if Jim Morrison was a better poet than a musician. Or the reverse. Or both. I think he is widely unrecognized as a supreme wordsmith, but you be the judge.

Is everybody in?
Is everybody in?
Is everybody in?
The ceremony is about to begin.
WAKE UP!
You can't remember where it was
Has this dream stopped?

AWAKE
Shake dreams from your hair
My pretty child, my sweet one.
Choose the day and choose the sign of your day
The day's divinity
First thing you see.

A vast radiant beach in a cool jeweled moon
Couples naked race down by its quiet side
And we laugh like soft, mad children
Smug in the woolly cotton brains on infancy.
The music and voices are all around us.
Choose, they croon, the Ancient Ones
The time has come again.
Choose now, they croon,
Beneath the moon
Beside an ancient lake.
Enter again the sweet forest,
Enter the hot dream,
Come with us,
Everything is broken up and dances.

Comments

[Brett Ames]

Hi American Prayer has been out for a good while. I have been listening to it for sometime and its still in my cd player after all it is Jim Morrison . Ever read his poetry .

[Lana Larsen]

I think the question is best answered with another question. Will we remember a rock star the way we remember a poet? Meaning, we remember Socrates, Poe, and all the greats, but super stardom tends to fade. I am really glad you put "Awake" lyrics down for everyone to read. I have read all different kinds of Morrison poetry since highschool. And "Awake" is one of my favs.