"The Odyssey of Heart" vol. I: "Birth of the Sojourner" is a poetic work composed partly in the form and spirit of the English neo-classical tradition, partly in the Romantic tradition, employing as its three principal characters the voice of the Sojourner caught in a conflict between the Demonic and Sacred voices in the Heart. The alternation of these voices moves the work swiftly along with contrast, comparison and an attempt at reconciliation. It is not merely a drama observed from a distance, but sets the reader upon a trial of reflection and a practical Odyssey of their own, promising fine, aesthetic appreciation and communion with the issues of modern civilization. With a sense for what has gone terribly wrong, the Sojourner agonizes over the temptations of the Demonic voice while striving to live at peace with the Sacred voice, contemplating the systems of the world, the brutality of injustice, and the pain involved in losing one's innocence. The "Birth of the Sojourner" concerns a struggle to reconcile what seems a fantasy vision of the moral universe with the realities of human nature, of life, and the powerful forces of political and intellectual corruption in the world. It is a contrast of the real laws at work set against the ideal laws at work in the heart and can be understood as the contention of inhumane values with humane values and the agony that this conflict involves for the Sojourner. As such, the work ask the question: "What would the vision of a humane world look like, as set against the present world as constituted?" Ultimately, the Sojourner arrives at a perception that the corrupting forces in the world actually exist in one's self, and that overcoming these forces involves a clearer understanding and acceptance of the limitations of human nature without abandoning authentic, humane values. There is no metaphysical ploy here, no "deus ex-machina," to resolve the conflict; only human nature and the potentials of human nature as demonstrated in experience, albeit evidently overweighted to the Demonic voice with a glimmering promise of an alternative heard in the Sacred. Through this struggle the Sojourner hopes to transmute the critical tendencies of the Demonic to the humane values of the Sacred. As both of these dispositions are natural, we see them brought to life through their own voice, cultivating the supporting visions that mature and embolden these dispositions, eventually resulting in affirmations of the better angels of our nature. It has been asserted that few themes could offer a more compelling subject for poetic composition, and few literary endeavors more rewarding or universally relevant than a careful treatment of this theme, both aesthetically and socially. It is in this spirit that we recall the words of Thomas Carlyle: "For your nobler minds, the publishing of some such Work of Art, in one or the other dialect, becomes almost a necessity. For what is it properly, but an altercation with the Devil, before you begin honestly Fighting him?" The author is a BA graduate of Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, MN with a concentration on Cultural Criticism. One scholar's recommendation: "I am an avid reader who couldn't put this work of art down. It is so well written and at the same time evokes so many emotions. It is incredible and engrossing. There is in Meissen's writing complexity of character and an embellishment of the old making what one reads endearing. It is rich and sumptuous with detailed thought. Often we are put into Greek Tragedy. Sometimes we are blending Medieval Epic with Modern Theology. We are even pulled into a large kind of Giorgione painting filled with mystery, hesitation, and dragons. It is a great piece of musical poetry to be read and sung out loud. I urge you to read, struggle, think, and live his writing " Daniel Lloyd. Independant Scholar, Composer/Pianist. Mpls, MN.