Maryland My Maryland and Other Poems
Baltimore, Md: James Murphy, 1908. 8vo. Very Good. Item #15402
A very nice 1st Edition of Randall's poems, including his iconic 'Maryland My Maryland', which became the state song.
Maryland My Maryland has come under fire over the last few decades for its anti-Lincoln, Confederate leaning sympathies and there have been repeated calls to remove it as the state song.
'The despot's heel is on thy shore,
Maryland!
His touch is at thy temple door,
Maryland!
Avenge the patriotic gore
That flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore,
Maryland, My Maryland'
The despot being Abraham Lincoln and the Baltimore gore referring to the Pratt Street Riot in April, 1861 when Confederate sympathizers attacked a troop of Massachusetts soldiers passing through the city on their way to the front at Washington, DC, the first blood spilled of the Civil War.
Blue cloth. Square tight binding. Clean interior. Mild edge wear to binding. Text block edges light foxed.
Overall a handsome edition, in much better condition than usually seen.
Price: $50.00