Gunslinger (original 1968; edition 1989)

It's an epic poem.
It's an American epic poem.
Not only is it great, it is needed. ( )

Most people would say that the epic poem is a dead art, pointing (perhaps) to Ezra Pound's Cantos as the last, feeble breath of the form. Edward Dorn's Gunslinger puts the lie to that. It's a powerful, humorous book. Wordplay and a strange, galloping rhythm make it a joy to read in a way that a lot of modern poetry isn't. It was written in the 1970s and shows it, but it's anything but dated. Highly recommended. ( )