Was Jim Morrison really a Poet ?

He did write a book of poems called "an American Prayer" so technically yes he is poet. The critics didn't like his poetry however he was more famous as a rock singer. I think he would have been better off sticking to poetry and perhaps not being so famous, he might have lived longer.

I have read a lot of stuff on Jim and forgotten so much of it. But the lyrics of the Doors songs are quite haunting and do demonstrate that a poet's hand is at work. My favorite is "YES, THE RIVER KNOWS": Free, Fall Flow, River, Flow, on and on it goes...

I have both books of poetry by Jim and if you read over the lyrics they are very poetic. The whole first album was based on poetry that Jim had written prier to forming the band. Was Jim a poet of course he was, was he a great poet in my opinion he will be forever placed along side the great poets of our days. Just because he did his work in free form doesn't make it any less great it just means you need to look deeper for the beauty in his phrasing and form. Have you ever heard An American Prayer? it is a profound piece of recording. Jim is one of the great rock Gods along side of Hendrix, Joplin, and on and on. He is also a great poet and a deeply moving film maker that never had a chance at a great piece of film because he was not understood due to being ahead of his times.

I think he was a poet, I love the Doors, the lyrics of their songs are really well written.

was jim a poet? what do you think? yessssssssssss the songs are poetry,like the soft parade

I think it comes down to what you consider "Poetry". In my mind, Jim Morrison was definitely a poet. His words are filled with imagery among other poetic usages of words. One could even argue that 90% of Doors songs are simply poetry set to a tune and melody. Picture reading the lyrics to "The End" without music behind. Or "The Soft Parade". Try "Indian Summer" or "Moonlight Drive" for a love poem. Jim Morrison absolutely was a poet.

I think Morrison was both. He could be the drunken buffoon, and frequently was. But he was also a poet. Granted, some of the stuff he wrote was nonsensical crap; but, for the most part, his words take a deeper look at himself and his place in society.

He was a poet. I have "An American Night" which is a collection of his poetry. He was kickass too.

YES I consider Jim Morrison as a poet. Look at the lyrics of his songs and American Poet. Those can only come out of a poet's brain. So what he used to drink, everyone drinks, why would he be an exception and where is it written that a poet cannot drink or a drunkyard can't be a poet.