Demons and Dinosaurs is a 1970 collection of poetry by science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 and fantasy

Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...

 author L. Sprague de Camp

L. Sprague de Camp

Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction and fantasy books, non-fiction and biography. In a writing career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and notable works of non-fiction, including biographies of other important fantasy authors...

, published by Arkham House

Arkham House

Arkham House is a publishing house specializing in weird fiction founded in Sauk City, Wisconsin in 1939 by August Derleth and Donald Wandrei to preserve in hardcover the best fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. The company's name is derived from Lovecraft's fictional New England city, Arkham. Arkham House...

 in an edition of 500 copies. It was de Camp's first book published by Arkham House

In addition to de Camp's poems, the book contains an introductory piece about the author by fellow writer Lin Carter

Lin Carter

Linwood Vrooman Carter was an American author of science fiction and fantasy, as well as an editor and critic. He usually wrote as Lin Carter; known pseudonyms include H. P. Lowcraft and Grail Undwin.-Life:Carter was born in St. Petersburg, Florida...

.

Most of the poems in the collection were incorporated into de Camp's later poetry collections, Phantoms and Fancies

Phantoms and Fancies

Phantoms and Fancies is a 1972 collection of poetry by science fiction and fantasy author L. Sprague de Camp, illustrated by Tim Kirk. It was published by Mirage Press....

and Heroes and Hobgoblins

Heroes and Hobgoblins

Heroes and Hobgoblins is a 1981 collection of poetry by science fiction and fantasy author L. Sprague de Camp, illustrated by Tim Kirk. It was published by Donald M...

, though the arrangement was different in each instance.

The poems "Avebury," "Daydreams," "First Lake at Midnight," "Kaziranga, Assam," "Myself," and "The End of the Lost Race Story" are unique to this collection.

"Acrophobia," "Heroes," "Night," "Time," and "To R.E.H." are shared with Phantoms and Fancies only.

"The Ogre" is shared with Heroes and Hobgoblins only.

The remaining poems appear in all three collections.

The "Bessas the Bactrian" to whom the last seven poems are attributed is a character and occasional poet in de Camp's 1961 historical novel The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate

The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate

The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate is a historical novel by L. Sprague de Camp, first published in hardcover by Doubleday in 1961, and in paperback by Lancer Books in 1968. The first trade paperback edition was issued by Starblaze in 1982. It is the third of his historical novels in order of writing,...

, in which most of them were originally published. The attribution was subsequently dropped from those carried over into de Camp's later poetry collections.

Contents

Demons and Dinosaurs contains the following:

• "About L. Sprague de Camp" by Lin Carter
• The Powers
• "Creation"
• "Ziggurat"
• "Reward of Virtue"
• "Transposition"
• "The Gods"
• Crumbling Ruins
• "Ruins"
• "Avebury"
• "The Great Pyramid of Giza"
• "Nabonidus"
• "Meroê"
• "Tintagel"
• "Tikal"
• Far Places
• "The Little Lion of Font-de-Gaume"
• "New Year's Eve in Baghdad"
• "The Jungle Vine"
• "Patnâ"
• "Kaziranga, Assam"
• "A Tale of Two John Carters"
• Other Times
• "A Brook in Vermont"
• "The Dragon-Kings"

• "The Tusk"
• "The Ogre"
• "Sirush"
• "Progress in Baghdad"
• "Heldendämmerung"
• "Nahr al-Kalb"
• "The Sorcerers"
• "Ghosts"
• The Storyteller's Trade
• "A Skald's Lament"
• "Old Heroes"
• "To R.E.H."
• "Où Sont les Planètes d'Antan?"
• "Heroes"
• "The End of the Lost-Race Story"
• "Envy"
• "Daydreams"
• Quatrains of Bessas the Bactrian"
• "Myself"
• "Faunas"
• "First Lake at Midnight"
• "Warriors"
• "Acrophobia"
• "Night"
• "Time"