A Cycle of the West rewards its readers with a sweeping saga of the American West and John G. Neihardt's exhilarating vision of frontier history. Infused with wonder, nostalgia, and a keen appreciation of epic history, A Cycle of the West provides an ideal introduction to the world of Black Elk Speaks. Unquestionably the masterpiece of the poet who has been called the "American Homer," A Cycle of the West celebrates the land and legends of the old West in five famous narrative poems: The Song of Three Friends (1919), The Song of Hugh Glass (1915), The Song of Jed Smith (1941), The Song of the Indian Wars (1925), and The Song of the Messiah (1935). This unforgettable epic of discovery, conquest, courage, and tragedy speaks movingly and resoundingly of a unique American experience. Internationally known for Black Elk Speaks, John G. Neihardt (1881-1973) was a noted author in several genres. His essays and literary criticism were recently collected in Knowledge and Opinion (Nebraska, 2002).