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

Die wunderbare Geschichte v[on] Cocordia, eines Commendanten Tochter, welche 120 Jahren entführet war, und meinte es...

Printed in three columns. At head of second column wood-engraving of standing woman within border of type ornaments at sides and bottom. Poem in 29 numbered four-line stanzas. Name of heroine of poem "Cocordia" in title, "Concordia" in text. At end of text: Ephrata: Gedruckt Bey S. Baumann, 18[ ] Suggested range of publication dates, between 1810 and 1820, from dates when Baumann worked in Ephrata.

Die wunderbare Concordia, eines Commandanten Tochter, welche hundert und zwanzig Jahre entführet war, und meinte es ...

Printed in three columns. At head of text wood-engravings of vase, head within heart-shaped border of type ornaments, and another vase on shelf decorated with cherub's head; at end of text wood-engraving of helmeted goddess Athena and cherubs, inscribed A E I O U and Opera omnia. Poem in 29 four-line stanzas. Suggested place and date of publication from dealer.

Die Ewigkeit

Die Ewigkeit

Brown University

Text in five numbered stanzas within border of type ornaments. Imprint information supplied by dealer.

Die Ermentrouta

Die Ermentrouta

Brown University

Attacks family of politicians, Dan, John, Jim, Billy and Samuel Ermentrout. Attacks family of politicians, Dan, John, Jim, Billy and Samuel Ermentrout. Cover title. Poem in 21 four-line stanzas in misspelled German with several English words. Place of publication suggested from mention of "Readingtown" in the "Keystone State"; suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

Did you pray?

Did you pray?

Brown University

Stanley Carter. Printed in blue on glossy white paper within border of type ornaments. At each side of title drawing of kneeling child in pajamas. Poem in four four-line stanzas. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

Did I say yes, did I say no

James Purdy. Printed in dark green on gray paper. Title from first line. Prose poem. "Printed by Stuart McCarty ... in a signed edition of 65 copies ...."

Did I say yes, did I say no

James Purdy. Printed in dark green on gray paper. Title from first line. Prose poem. "Printed by Stuart McCarty ... in a signed edition of 65 copies ...."

Did I say yes, did I say no

James Purdy. Printed in dark green on gray paper. Title from first line. Prose poem. "Printed by Stuart McCarty ... in a signed edition of 65 copies ...."

Dialogue with God

Dialogue with God

Brown University

In verse. At end of text: Kirby Congdon. Also published in his Juggernaut (1966); cf. Kirby Congdon, p. [7] In lower right corner: Crank Books, Box 35, New York 14. Ivory paper printed in black; includes photograph. First line: You love me, don't you?

Dialogue for Christmas

Dialogue for Christmas

Brown University

Pages [2] and [4] blank. Poetry. Printed in reddish-brown and green on beige paper. Caption title. "The poem is by Jeremy Taylor."

Dialogue between F--r R--ts, and the P--y

Printed in two columns divided by line of type ornaments. Printed area measures: 19.5 x 14.4 cm. Verse dialogue among R--ts, P--y and first and second spectators. R--ts mentions his farm and his livestock; possibly "F--r" means "Farmer." Mentions of "rotten eggs" and the P--y being "doom'd thy cumb'rous weight to bear" show that "P--y" means "Pillory." Apparently F--r R--ts (Farmer Roberts?) has been condemned to stand in the pillory for his support of Thomas Paine. "God save the King" in last line indicates England as the place of publication; suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Dialogue between Death and a lady

Printed area measures: 20.8 x 10.6 cm. Poetry printed within border of type ornaments; a shortened, re-arranged version of this dialogue in six verses. Imprint data suggested by typography. This edition not in Ford, Shaw & Shoemaker, Checklist Amer. imprints, or Bristol. First line: Fair lady, lay your costly robes aside.

Diabolou machia, or, Battle of Dragon

Poem on a brawl at Dragon, later Fair Haven, Conn., now part of the City of New Haven; the fight involved Yale University students. Caption title. At end of note following text: The Author of the poem was my [Yale] classmate Hill, who read it to the Scientific Club of the class ... January, 1875. W.C.F. [i.e. William Chauncey Fowler] First line: Now Cynthia had her lamp put out.