The Western Vikings

The idea of writing a poetic tribute to the mountain men has been with me for a long time. These are the heroes of my youth. The pathfinders of our Manifest Destiny, the rare example of a President --- Thomas Jefferson --- who truly possessed great vision and acted upon it. This book is a paean to all who ventured into the brave new world. Some trappers/explorers were obvious: Jim Bridger, Kit Carson and John Wesley Powell. Some were set aside, perhaps for another time: John Fremont, John Colter, Jedediah Smith, etc. All of these brave and resourceful mountain men were like Vikings --- with adventuresome spirit and remarkable courage. This writer has tried to keep a balance between emigrants in search of religious freedom, enduring extreme privation --- "On to Zion" --- and the vicious slaughter --- "Murders at Mountain Meadows." Like all human beings the Western settlers possessed both light and dark souls. The Western Vikings poems are written in free verse which hopefully enhances the narrative. With counsel from editor Shelia Oakes, complilation by my brother Robert Keyser and creative design by my publisher Michael Fraser, it was most enjoyable writing this work. I trust that you the reader will share that enjoyment. Michael J. Keyser