Harris Broadsides

Broadsides are single-sheet publications, often issued as ephemera or announcements. The Harris Broadsides Collection is a comprehensive collection of American poetry published in broadside format from colonial times to the present. The collection offers materials covering a broad spectrum of American life, and includes poetry of every description: 18th and 19th century ballads, verse describing newsworthy events, poetic effusions of sentimentality and patriotism, comic verse, and much more. When completed, this digital project will include over 20,000 titles.
This collection is part of Brown University Library, hosted by Brown University.

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Items in this collection

The great invocation

The great invocation

Brown University

Broadsheet printed in dark blue on heavy white paper. Poem on recto. On verso, headed: Men and women of goodwill throughout the world are using this invocation, information about distribution of the invocation. Suggested publication date from acquisition date of Brown Univeersity copy.

The Great Eastern's coming

Composed in forty-three minutes, by the Steam Machine Poet. Printed in two columns. Poem in twelve eight-line stanzas. Real name of author not on item. Suggested place of publication from references in poem; suggested publication date from launch date of steamship.

The Great Eastern's coming

Composed in forty-three minutes, by the Steam Machine Poet. Printed in two columns. Poem in twelve eight-line stanzas. Real name of author not on item. Suggested place of publication from references in poem; suggested publication date from launch date of steamship.

The Great Eastern's coming

Composed in forty-three minutes, by the Steam Machine Poet. Printed in two columns. Poem in twelve eight-line stanzas. Real name of author not on item. Suggested place of publication from references in poem; suggested publication date from launch date of steamship.

The grave of Bonaparte

The grave of Bonaparte

Brown University

Poetry. Within border of type ornaments. Poem in three nine-line stanzas. At end of text below curvilinear line, within border: Andrews', Printer, 38 Chatham St., N.Y., dealer in songs, games, toy books, motto verses, &c., wholesale and retail. John Andrews printed at this address between 1853 and 1859. Words by H.S. Washburn, music (not on item) by Lyman Heath. Cf. Dichter & Shapiro, Early American sheet music, p. 144. Variant of no. 805a in Edwin Wolf's American song sheets.

The grave of Bonaparte

The grave of Bonaparte

Brown University

Poetry. Within border of type ornaments. Poem in three nine-line stanzas. Suggested range of dates from internal evidence. Words by H.S. Washburn, music (not on item) by Lyman Heath. Cf. Dichter & Shapiro, Early American sheet music, p. 144. At end of text below rule and within border: Thomas M. Scroggy, Publisher, Card & Fancy Job Printer, No. 443 Vine Street, above Twelfth, Phila. Where all new songs can be obtained, wholesale and retail.

The grave of Bonaparte

The grave of Bonaparte

Brown University

Poetry. Within border of type ornaments, with comic heads at corners, lettered S in Wolf. Poem in three nine-line stanzas. Label inside lower border at center: H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54 Chatham str. New-York. Publication date because De Marsan used this address between 1861 and 1864. Words by H.S. Washburn, music (not on item) by Lyman Heath. Cf. Dichter & Shapiro, Early American sheet music, p. 144. Variant of no. 805 in Edwin Wolf's American song sheets.

The grave of Bonaparte

The grave of Bonaparte

Brown University

Poetry. Within border of type ornaments, lettered A in Wolf. Poem in three nine-line stanzas. Label inside lower border at center: H. De Marsan, Publisher, 54[?] Chatham Street, New-York. Publication date from internal evidence; De Marsan was located at 54 Chatham Street between 1861 and 1864 but street number on this item is almost illegible. Words by H.S. Washburn, music (not on item) by Lyman Heath. Cf. Dichter & Shapiro, Early American sheet music, p. 144. Variant of no. 805 in Edwin Wolf's American song sheets.

The grave of Bonaparte

The grave of Bonaparte

Brown University

Poetry. Within border of type ornaments. Within title at left: No. 54. Poem in three seven-line stanzas with two-line chorus. Suggested range of dates from internal evidence. Words by H.S. Washburn, music (not on item) by Lyman Heath. Cf. Dichter & Shapiro, Early American sheet music, p. 144. Variant of no. 805 in Edwin Wolf's American song sheets.

The grave of Ben Bolt

The grave of Ben Bolt

Brown University

Within double line border. Author's name not on item. Publication date approximation from internal evidence. Related to song entitled Oh don't you remember Sweet Alice, Ben Bolt.

The Grand Army button

The Grand Army button

Brown University

Tune: The old oaken bucket. Date suggested because Grand Army of the Republic had highest membership in 1890 and was very active in that decade; poem speaks of Civil War as in the past but implies that many veterans are living.

The Grand Army button

The Grand Army button

Brown University

Tune: The old oaken bucket. Date suggested because Grand Army of the Republic had highest membership in 1890 and was very active in that decade; poem speaks of Civil War as in the past but implies that many veterans are living.

The grain is unlocked: The grain unravels

Poem. Printed in black on green paper; line of type ornaments between poem and colophon. At end of text: D.J. Waldie. Colophon with initial block at end: This poem was printed by Don Waldie & Gary Young at the Greenhouse Review Press, March 19, 1977. First line: Change is in the way, The wedge is put.