The Collected Poems

by Ed Dorn

The first definitive collected edition of American poet Edward Dorn’s writings, this irrepressibly offbeat volume marries the old West with American counterculture. As it celebrates Dorn’s epic poem Gunslinger, this collection—which is both wonderfully resourceful in tone and idiom—puts Edward Dorn on an equal footing with his masters.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Edward Merton Dorn was born in Villa Grove, Illinois. He grew up in rural poverty during the Great Depression. He attended a one-room schoolhouse for his first eight grades. He later studied at the University of Illinois and at Black Mountain College (1950-55). At Black Mountain he came into contact with Charles Olson, who greatly influenced his literary worldview and his sense of himself as poet.[citation needed]

Dorn's final examiner at Black Mountain was Robert Creeley, with whom, along with the poet Robert Duncan, Dorn became included as one of a trio of younger poets later associated with Black Mountain and with Charles Olson.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a much needed retrospective of a great but much neglected American poet, which makes sense as to why it took a British press to give us this collected poems. My only complaint is that each poem doesn't merit its own page.

[Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breathtaking lyric poetry from "The Hide of My Mother" to "The Rick of Greenwood"; from "Love Songs" to "The North Atlantic Turbine"; Dorn's work up to Gunslinger hits so many notes, lyrical, critical, social, personal, and despite the bad reputation given to him by people like Kleinzhaler, Dorn shows what an awesome poet he is, and what poetry can be at its best. Necessary.

[Lyndon Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful poetry by the American poet Edward Dorn. "The North Atlantic Turbine" is one of the most muscular and visceral poems I have ever read and has stayed with me for decades as a model of strength and power.

[!Tæmbuŝu]

Reviewed by The Guardian (1 Feb 2013)