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

A font of type

A font of type

Brown University

Within ornamental border of type specimens delineated by double line borders.

A flag on every school-house

At head of text: Published by Col. J.A. Joel, late editor Grand Army Gazette, Oct., 1895. At end of text: Copies of this poem may be obtained from J.A. Joel & Co., 63 Nassau St., N.Y.

A few lines composed on the dark day, of May 19, 1780

Poem marking the occurrence of the dark day in New England, on May 19, 1780, reminds people to forsake sin and turn to God. New England's chronicled "Dark Day" belongs to the phenomena, reported from various locales throughout the world, "when the light of the sun has been so bedimmed as to cause serious inconvenience, if not terror, to mankind" (cf. Fact, fancy, and fable, 1968) Poem marking the occurrence of the dark day in New England, on May 19, 1780, reminds people to forsake sin and turn to God. New England's chronicled "Dark Day" belongs to the phenomena, reported from various locales throughout the world, "when the light of the sun has been so bedimmed as to cause serious inconvenience, if not terror, to mankind" (cf. Fact, fancy, and fable, 1968) Caption title. Poetry in twenty-two four-line stanzas, numbered I-XXII, printed in two columns divided by line of type ornaments. Title at head of second column; short line of type ornaments between title and sub-title. Wood-engraving showing darkened landscape with people at left of title. Publication date suggested by type and wood-engraving. This edition not in Evans, Bristol, Ford or Wegelin.

A feller isn't mean ... out fishin'

Within single-line border with three lines along left and right margins within outer border. Title from first line. Poem in four five-line stanzas, with three lines in each stanza ending: Out fishin'. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

A father's grave

A father's grave

Brown University

Printed in red and black on heavy paper within red single-line border. At head of title round lithograph of girl standing beside cross on grave; above and at sides red floral decoration. Poem in four four-line stanzas. Suggested range of publication dates from internal evidence.

A farewell to the year

A farewell to the year

Brown University

by Mr. Lockhart from the Spanish of Louis Baylon. Within single line ornamented border. At end of text within border: Knowles, Anthony & Co.'s Print.

A farewell song

A farewell song

Brown University

Poetry in 9 numbered four-line stanzas printed within border of type ornaments. Printed area measures 23.0 x 13.8 cm. Printed with: The Church (First line: What fair one is this from the wilderness travelling). Meant to be separated.

A farewell hymn: on the death of Miss Polly Goold

Poem in sixteen six-line stanzas printed in two columns. At head of title wood-engraving of the Virgin in glory also used on broadsides authoritatively attributed to the printer Nathaniel Coverly, Jr.; most printed not later than 1814.

A face: a poem

A face: a poem

Brown University

by Marianne Craig Moore. "This poem was in 'Horizon' (London) for October 1947. [Paragraph mark] About 2500 copies pulled by hand from Romanée type on Hand and Arrows paper. Cummington, Massachusetts. June 1949. WW & HD finx. & fecerunt"--P. [4]. "WW" was Wightman Williams, "HD" was Harry Duncan. "Printed ... especially for inclusion [as an insert] in Part seven of The New colophon"--New colophon, v. 2, pt. 7 (Sept. 1949), p. 236. French fold, issued in red or gray-blue paper folder; cream paper printed in orange (rule only) and black. Cf. First printings. First line: "I am not treacherous, callous, jealous, superstitious.

A ew thoughts compos'd on the sudden & awful death of Mrs. Fessenden,: wife of Mr. Nathanael Fessenden, of Cambridge,...

Twenty-two numbered four-line stanzas printed in two columns within mourning border and with heavy black line separating columns. With a relief cut of a coffin (not in Reilly) in the midst of the title Brown University copy mutilated, lacking title and coffin illustration. For an account of this broadside see Ola Winslow, American broadside verse (New Haven, 1930) p. 46. An account of Mrs. Fessenden's accidental death was published in the Boston Gazette of June 4, 1770 John Kneeland and Seth Adams printed together at this address from 1765 to 1772 Hay Broadsds Harris copy: Mutilated with loss of title and coffin; separate fragment with part of title; mended with tape on verso, on which is ms. name, "Miss Berea Adams, Medway."

A dying soldier

A dying soldier

Brown University

Pages [4] blank. Cover within ornamental borders; rosette under title. On cover: By Harry Kalich with Mutt & Jeff Company.