Inside Val Kilmer’s Little-Known Life as a Poet

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Beyond his well-known acting roles in films like Top Gun and Batman Forever, Val Kilmer’s artistic realm extended significantly. Aside from being a popular Hollywood star, he was also an accomplished visual artist, playwright, and activist. However, what many people might not realize is that he was also a poet.

Throughout most of his adult life, Kilmer primarily focused on poetry creation. This passion started in his twenties while he was immersed in studying at The Juilliard School and simultaneously experiencing the rapid rise of his acting career. His writing continued up until his sixties, with works from the last 33 years being published in 2021, and possibly extending right up to his death this week at the age of 65 due to pneumonia.

As a poetry enthusiast, I can’t help but agree with Kilmer when he described it as a deeply personal and subjective form of expression. It’s like the pulse of your emotions, the rhythm of your thoughts, the melody of your spirit. It’s intensely focused, capturing the essence of who you are in a compact, powerful way.

Back in 1987, sandwiched between the successes of my movies “Top Gun” and “Willow”, I, Val, took it upon myself to share a piece of me that wasn’t on the silver screen – a collection of my poems titled “My Edens After Burns”. Initially, I printed several thousand copies. As Christmas presents for loved ones or for sale, these books found their way into people’s hands. According to Bookride.com, not long after, I decided to keep any unsold copies, storing them in my garage. Over time, some of these books were distributed – at one point, I even signed and handed out a few at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival.

Jim Kilmer’s poetry is known for its deeply personal, thoughtful, and sometimes philosophical nature. It explores themes like love, mortality, spirituality, and his Hollywood experiences. A poem titled “The Pfeiffer Howls At The Moon,” found in the collection “My Edens After Burns, “, is a tribute to his former girlfriend, Michelle Pfeiffer. Known for his colorful love life, Kilmer had relationships with Cher, Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, and his ex-wife Joanne Whalley; it’s possible that these women served as inspirations for his work.

Cowboy Poet Outlaw Madman: Selected Poems by Val Kilmer,” published by distributor A24 in conjunction with the 2021 documentary “VAL“. This book offers a chance for fans to explore Kilmer as a poet.

The enlightening documentary chronicles Kilmer’s fight against throat cancer, explores the tragic death of his brother Wesley during childhood, delves into his eight-year marriage with Whalley, and sheds light on his connection with his two children. These profound personal experiences and trials were significant elements in Kilmer’s intricate and layered life, serving as undeniable sources of inspiration for his poetry, visual art, and his esteemed acting career, making him one of the most celebrated actors of his era.

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2025-04-02 23:24