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.
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
^ abO'Sheel, Shaemas, and Sophocles. Antigone, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1961, p.8
Genthe, Arnold (1916). The Book of the Dance. New York, New York: M. Kennerly. LCCN16020296. (Introductory Essay by O'Sheel: "On With the Dance.")
O'Sheel, Shaemas (1928). Jealous of Dead Leaves. New York, New York: Boni & Liveright. LCCN28009779.
O'Sheel, Shaemas (1931). Sophokles, Antigone: A New Redaction in the American Language. Brooklyn, New York: private printing. LCCN32000998.
Hale, Gardener (1933). Fresco Painting. New York, New York: W.E. Rudge. LCCN33032351. (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. LCCN59009829/L.