DAY 6 BROADSIDES

POETRY BROADSIDES

What they are

Broadsides were posters invented in Europe in the 1600s and popular in America in the 1700s. They were made on old fashioned presses, where each letter had to be set individually and each page pressed with the inked letters, one page at a time.

Then in the 1960s and 70s, they became a popular way to publish individual poems, still using the old printing presses. Here is a press in downtown Canton,  "Print and Press Shop & Studios," which uses the old presses to print hand-made cards and given lessons in using these types of machines. 

Here is a news story about the printer and shop that shows "Letterpress Jess" making cards on the letterpress machines:

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/originals/as-stores-close-one-maker-says-its-not-time-for-a-goodbye-to-greeting-cards

Some broadsides are still made today on letterpresses. Many are collectors’ items. Here is a beautiful one by Akron poet Mary Biddinger

Many thanks to Mary and to the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center for permission to show you this poem. Find more of their great work in paper at their website .

Also, broadsides can be made with word processing, computer printing, or even hand printing and drawing. Whatever the poet has at hand.

Each student will make a broadside of one of their poems.

PARTS OF OUR POETRY BROADSIDE

Required:

*Title

*Author (by Your Name)

*The Poem
Check for spelling, punctuation, missing words
 Have Ms. Diane check your editing before you make final copy

     

Optional: 

*Border decoration (Top,  bottom, and/or sides) - LEAVE SPACE

 *Art

*COLOPHON: Information about the publication: like date, place, font, dedication, how made,