The Poetry of Amelia Reynolds Long
Amelia Reynolds Long's first poem, "Lucifer's Reply," was published in Kaleidograph in the early 1930's. It won first prize in a contest and remains a quite startling piece. After quitting the fields of mysteries and science fiction, poetry became Long's predominant interest, and she continued to write poems for the rest of her life. A number of her poems were published in various journals and periodicals such as The Harrisburg Evening News and The Swordsman Review. The Pennsylvania Poetry Society, of which she was a member, printed two chapbook collections of her previously published poetry work in 1974 and 1975. With haunting and beautiful poems such as "The Paxtang Indian Path" and "Should We Feel Shame," it is clear that Long had a gift for creating works of studied beauty, with an often poignant, human touch. A richly expressive style is evident in poems such as "I Love Old Things," and in "The Mastodon's Complaint," we see a humorous side to her work. Her two poetry collections, detailed below, remain rare and elusive gems that deserve a wider audience.
Shreds and Patches
by Amelia Reynolds Long
Published by The Pennsylvania Poetry Society, 1974.Contents
Ballads: Graeme Park, Henry William Stiegel, Washington's Crossing, The Ballad of Jean Laffite, A Ballad of Davy Crockett, The True Story of Pecos Bill, The Ballad of Nat Turner, The Flight of the Black Coach, The Ballad of Will Hardy, Witch-Wife, Kehoe of the Molly Maguires, The Battle of Suan Juan Hill.
Portraits: Eve, Moses on Sinai, On Seeing a Mitten Once Worn by Father Gallitzin, A Declaration by the Representatives..., Tom Lincoln, Brierfield, 1868, Gifford Pinchot, Conservationist.
"A Little Nonsense...:" Bestiae, Saepe Immanes..., Mary's Little Lamb, The Telephone, To a Pewter Chamber Pot.
Counterpoint
by Amelia Reynolds Long
Published by The Pennsylvania Poetry Society, 1975.Contents
Counterpoint, Cain, Lot's Wife, Our Ghosts Draw From the Crowded Future, I Dreamed of Long Dead Cities, Lucifer's Reply, On a Roman Tear Vase, Candle, The Paxtang Indian Path, Paxtang's Fighting Parson, Betsy Ross Undertakes to Make the American Flag, Soldier in Grease Paint, The Gleam, the Glory..., Should We Feel Shame, Ave Atque Vale Aves, The Shooting of Wild Bill Hickok, On the Death of Walt Disney, First Man on the Moon, Fallen Star, To My Friend E.P.L. and My Dog Mike, I Love Old Things, Flower Song, Excalibur, Son of the Sidh, An Irish American Dreams of Ireland, Sounds of Splendor, Sault Sainte Marie, The Mastodon's Complaint, Johan Printz, Two Sides of the Coin, Too Be or Not To Be, A Rose Is a Rose Is a..., Modern Theme to Ancient Music, He May Fly High, To Meter Not to Mete, Doggone!, Basis for Concern, The Wicked Flea, Geographically Speaking, Milady's Corset.
Note: In addition to the books detailed above, Long also edited the poetry collection A Goodly Heritage; Poems of Pennysylvania (The Pennsylvania Poetry Society, 1968). This collection of verse includes the work of various poets who deal with aspects of Pennsylvania's history, legends, landscape, people and places.
