Cycle of the West

John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) is the author of several classics, including Black Elk Speaks: The Complete Edition and Eagle Voice Remembers, both available in Bison Books editions. He was named Nebraska’s first poet laureate. Joe Green is a retired English teacher and member of the John G. Neihardt Foundation Board of Directors. Alan Birkelbach is the 2005 Poet Laureate of Texas. He is the author of eleven books of poetry and winner of the 2015 Spur Award for Best Western Poem from the Western Writers of America.

"Republication of Neihardt's Cycle sets another high-water mark in the Press's long and distinguished catalog of books about the American West."-Daniel Simon, Nebraska History “A powerful succession of songs celebrating the experience of the frontier.”-Los Angeles Times“A sweeping narrative told with poetic images as big as the great American West.”-Historical Novels Review“Joe Green’s exhaustive annotations in this valuable new edition not only make John Neihardt’s powerful poems more accessible to twenty-first-century readers, they also draw attention to the depth of Neihardt’s own research into the period of American history that meant so much to him.”-Timothy G. Anderson, author of Lonesome Dreamer: The Life of John G. Neihardt“Green’s remarkable work clarifies our understanding of John Neihardt’s epic poetic ode to the American West and reinforces its position as a literary masterpiece that will inform and inspire readers for generations to come.”-Amy Kucera, former executive director of the John G. Neihardt State Historic Site

• Introduction to the Bison Classic Annotated Edition, by Alan Birkelbach    Annotator’s Note    Introduction, by John G. Neihardt    The Song of Three Friends    Part I: Ashley’s Hundred    Part II: The Up-Stream Men    Part III: To the Musselshell    Part IV: The Net Is Cast    Part V: The Quarrel    Part VI: The Shooting of the Cup    Part VII: The Third Rider    Part VIII: Vengeance    The Song of Hugh Glass    Part I: Graybeard and Goldhair    Part II: The Awakening    Part III: The Crawl    Part IV: The Return of the Ghost    Part V: Jamie    The Song of Jed Smith    Part I: The valley was beginning to forget . . .     Part II: Now the jug went round . . .     Part III: Now the deep . . .     Part IV: “You’re getting sober, Squire . . .”     Part V: Chin to chest and nodding . . .     Part VI: The low intoning of the canyon grew . . .    The Song of the Indian Wars    Part I: The Sowing of the Dragon    Part II: Red Cloud    Part III: The Council on the Powder    Part IV: Fort Phil Kearny    Part V: Rubbed Out    Part VI: The Wagon Boxes    Part VII: Beecher’s Island    Part VIII: The Yellow God    Part IX: The Village of Crazy Horse    Part X: The Sun Dance    Part XI: The Seventh Marches    Part XII: High Noon on the Little Horn    Part XIII: The Twilight    Part XIV: The Death of Crazy Horse    The Song of the Messiah    Part I: The Voice in the Wilderness    Part II: The Coming of the Word    Part III: The Dance    Part IV: The Soldiers    Part V: Sitting Bull    Part VI: The Way    Part VII: Wounded Knee    Appendix: Prefaces    Appendix: Errata    Notes