41 poems by the legendary songwriter.

A collection of previously unpublished poems written by Johnny Cash have been released as Forever Words: The Unknown Poems, a new book available now.

Though the writings weren’t discovered until 2003, shortly after Cash’s death, the actual poems date back as early as 1944, when Cash was 12 years old. The poems are included with reproductions of the handwritten originals.

Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, spoke to The New York Times about the importance of people being able to see this side of his father.

“I want people to have a deeper understanding of my father than just the iconic, cool man in black. I think this book will help provide that,” he said.

Some poems in Forever Words are deeply personal. ‘You Never Knew My Mind’, from 1967, captures Cash’s bitterness during his divorce from Vivian Liberto, while ‘Going, Going, Gone’, from 1990, is about his drug abuse: “Liquid, tablet, capsule, powder / Fumes and smoke and vapor / The payoff is the same in the end.”

Forever Words is out today and can be ordered here.