Shaemas O'Sheel (September 19, 1886 – April 2, 1954) was an Irish American poet and critic. Born James Shields,[1] he changed his name to an anglicized spelling of its Irish version soon after high school.[2] He worked briefly for the United States Senate (1913-1916), held jobs with various newspapers, and did publicity and advertising work. Although third-generation[3] Irish American and never visiting Ireland,[1] he was active in the Irish independence movement. He was, in his own words, "a very ardent communist and a staunch supporter of the Soviet Union".[4] However, because he disagreed with Soviet foreign policy, many communist publications (such as New Masses) refused to publish his work.

As a member of the League of American Writers, O'Sheel served on its Keep America Out of War Committee in January 1940 during the period of the Hitler-Stalin pact.[5]

Publications

O'Sheel's published poetry collections include The Blossomy Bough (1912) and The Light Feet of Goats (1915).[6] Louis Untermeyer characterized O'Sheel's poetry as possessing "mysticism and a muffled heroism".[7] O'Sheel's work also appeared in the New York Times, the New York Times Book Review, Harper's, and other national publications.

References

  1. 1 2 O'Sheel, Shaemas, and Sophocles. Antigone, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1961, p.8
  2. ↑ O'Sheel obituary, New York Times, April 4, 1954.
  3. ↑ Adamic, Louis. A nation of nations, Harper, 1945, p.308
  4. ↑ Letter, O'Sheel to Art Young, April 17, 1938, Shaemas O'Sheel Papers, Syracuse University
  5. ↑ Franklin Folsom, Days of Anger, Days of Hope, University Press of Colorado, 1994, ISBN 0-87081-332-3
  6. ↑ "Shaemas O'Sheel". Britannica. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
  7. ↑ Untermeyer, Louis (1921). Modern American Poetry. Harcourt, Brace, and Company. ISBN 1-4437-5033-6.

Works

  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1912). The Blossomy Bough. New York, New York: Franklin Press for S. O Sheel.
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1915). The Catechism of Balaam, Jr. New York, New York: Hugh H. Masterson.
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1915). The Catechism of Balaam, Jr. New York, New York: Franklin Press for S. O Sheel.
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1915). The Light Feet of Goats. New York, New York: Hugh H. Masterson.
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1915). A Trip through Headline Land. New York, New York: Fatherland Corp.
  • Genthe, Arnold (1916). The Book of the Dance. New York, New York: M. Kennerly. LCCN 16020296. (Introductory Essay by O'Sheel: "On With the Dance.")
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1928). Jealous of Dead Leaves. New York, New York: Boni & Liveright. LCCN 28009779.
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1931). Sophokles, Antigone: A New Redaction in the American Language. Brooklyn, New York: private printing. LCCN 32000998.
  • Hale, Gardener (1933). Fresco Painting. New York, New York: W.E. Rudge. LCCN 33032351. (Additional chapters prepared from Mr. Hale's notes by Shaemas O'Sheel.)
  • O'Sheel, Shaemas (1961). Antigone, and Selected Poems. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press. LCCN 59009829/L.


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