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| A poetry broadside |
Welcome to this week's Thursday Terms! Two weeks ago, we discussed our
Broadsides Reading Series (the next
event is
Wednesday, May 30th at 6:30; $10 suggested donation/$5 members), a series of three events where local poets read their poems aloud. Each guest who attends the event also receives a limited edition broadside, printed here at the Center for Book Arts. But just what is a broadside?
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| A historical broadside |
A broadside, in its literal definition, is a sheet of paper that is printed on one side only. Historically, broadsides were posters, proclamations, or advertisements that were placed on doorways and trees throughout towns and cities. Despite being one of the most popular forms of printed material between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, broadsides were considered temporary, ephemeral documents that served a limited and specific purpose, after which they would be thrown away. A modern-day example of this is a "No Parking Tuesday" sign that can be found attached to poles in cities when streets need to be paved or movies filmed. These cheap, single-sided pieces of paper are meant to inform the people, but are assumed to be thrown away once Wednesday rolls around.
Today, broadsides are still single-sided prints on paper, but the term has also become linked with poetry. Poems, particularly short poems, are often printed on broadsides made with fine paper. Unlike the historical prints that done quickly and on cheap paper, poetry broadsides—like the ones we print here at the Center—are carefully printed with imagery and a design fitting for the poem on beautiful, heavy-weight paper, and are intended to be saved, framed, and hung on the wall. The ones given out at our Broadside Reading Series are also signed by the poet, and can even use mixed-media effects such as Phillis Levin's broadside (from a 2004 Center Broadside Reading Series) seen at left, which has a piece of string strung throughout the piece.
If you were not able to make it to a Broadside Reading Series but would still like a broadside, they are available for purchase. You are welcome to come in to the Center and ask for them (Levin's broadside is in our bookshop right now, and is incredible in person) or on our
website's bookstore. Starting with our reading series from 2011, you can browse and purchase broadsides (while supplies last!) from as far back as 2002.
If you would prefer to visit and pick one up for free (along with a night of poetry and wine), the second night of our Broadside Reading Series is on
Wednesday, May 30th, at 6:30pm here at the CBA. Joseph Donahue and Michael O'Brien will be reading. There is a $10 suggested donation/$5 for CBA members.
-Christina Squitieri
Have any stories about your favorite Thursday Term? Want to give us suggestions or comments? Comment on this post, email us at info@centerforbookarts.org, visit us on Facebook (/centerforbookarts) or follow us on Twitter (@center4bookarts). Can't wait to see you there!
