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

If you will wed me, maiden fair

Broadsheet printed in colors on heavy white paper. At head of title on recto colored illustration of young man on knees proposing to girl. Title from first line. Advertising card for Ward's Tip-Top bread and cakes. On recto four-line poem; on verso, within single-line border, information about cakes, beginning: Every good housewife.

If you might choose a gift, and only one

Page [4] blank. Printed in gold and colors on heavy white paper; text in red and gold. On page [1] hand-colored illustration of children in sleigh driven by Santa Claus; on page [3] illustration of Christmas tree. Title from first line of poem on page [2] Typesigned at end of poem: Sherman Foster Johnson, 1949. "The illustration overleaf is from St. Nicholas Magazine, c. 1896." "Vera & Foster Johnson send you this little poem ...." Printed at Bayberry Hill Press.

If you had let me alone, I would have let you alone

A soldier of '76. At head of text: A reply to the dastardly, fulminating, prevaricating Poltroons, who wrote and published a nefarious song .. At end of text: A soldier of seventy-six Vid. Peter Thorp.

If we could see beyond today

Norman J. Clayton. Poem on p. [2] of sheet: "My guide" Printed in purple. Page [1] of sheet illustrated with purple silhouettes. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

If we could see beyond today

Norman J. Clayton. Poem on p. [2] of sheet: "My guide" Printed in purple. Page [1] of sheet illustrated with purple silhouettes. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

If we could see beyond today

Norman J. Clayton. Poem on p. [2] of sheet: "My guide" Printed in purple. Page [1] of sheet illustrated with purple silhouettes. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

If we could feel, another's woe

Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence. Title printed within two lines of type ornaments. Printed on yellow paper.

If we could all go out of flower

Printed in gold and colors on heavy paper in postcard format; illuminated initial; text on verso in gold. At head of title illustration of sprays of flowers in triple gold frame. At end of text: Schakespeare. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

If thou art worn and hard beset

Poem advises sorrowful to "go to the woods and hills." Poem advises sorrowful to "go to the woods and hills." Postcard printed in purple within red border of type ornaments. At head of title reproduction of photograph of white birch trees captioned: Birches, near Portland, Me. Title from first line of six-line passage of poetry. Type-signed at end of poem: Longfellow. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

If the winter days seem endless

Printed in gold and colors within green and gold ornamental border on heavy paper in postcard format; gilt edges. Illustration of lilies below text within border. Title from first line. Facsimile author autograph at end of poem: Mary C. Low. "Printed in Bavaria. No. 2527."--Verso. Suggested publication date from ms. date "Easter 1912" on Brown University copy.

If tears were pearls

If tears were pearls

Brown University

Printed in colors on heavy white paper in postcard format; text on recto in green, on verso in black. At left of title illustration of woman crying into bucket. First line same as title. Words and music of song chorus. Name of author of lyrics not on item; music by Albert Von Tilzer. "By permission of Copyright MCMVI by the York Music Co. Albert Von Tilzer Mgr. 40 West 28th St. New York"--Colophon. "No. 4600 Music Series"--Verso.