FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection
| Date of Items: | 1890-present | Register Prepared by: | Randy Williams and Susan Gross, April 2004 |
| Register Updated by: | Randy Williams, 23 December 2009 |
| Excel database transfered to MYSQL and uploaded (replacing PHP data): | Colin Jackson, Fall 2010 |
| MYSQL database updated: | Randy Williams, January 2012 |
| Linear Feet: | 20 |
Historical Note & Provenance
Folk Coll 11 is Utah State University's cowboy poetry collection. The collection, originally created by a generation donation by the L. J. and Mary Skaggs Foundation, includes books gathered during a fieldwork project in the early 1980s to document cowboy poetry in the U.S. west (see Folk Coll 11f). From this important fieldwork project came the impetus for the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering held in January 1985 in Elko, Nevada. Since that time, each January, the Fife Folklore Archives staff take the collection and Access database (that details each book, poem, author, first line and key words), to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering for offsite use. Through University purchases and generation donations from poets and collectors, this collection continues to grow.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of 20 linear feet of books on cowboy poetry, including press and self published works. The collection can be accessed through USU Libraries online catalog.
As well, poem titles and keywords found in each book in the collection are included in the database below. To use, type in the search term. Tip: Try and use an uncommon
word from the poem to ensure less "hits." For instance, if you enter "boots" you will get many hits; but if you enter "bones" you will most liley get fewer "hits" or poems and find the item you seek faster.
To return to the search page, click "home" at the bottom of the page.
Search:
Poetry table.
First Previous Next Last| ID | Book Title | Composer | Index | Pages | Author | Poem Title | First Lines | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23072 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 11 | Dennis Flake | When the Path is Black | Did you ever have a time in life When hell knocked on your door, When your dreams and plans and love of life Lay shattered on the floor? | ||
| 23073 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 12 | Dennis Flake | A Little Rodeo and a Big Bull | Forrest was just a little boy, But his feet reached to the ground. He had some good ideas And to me they sounded sound. | ||
| 23074 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 13 | Dennis Flake | Christmas with Christensens | Well, Santa Clause, is it true That you're coming here tonight, With you sleigh bells and your reindeer and your suit of red and white? | ||
| 23075 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 14 | Dennis Flake | Three Wheeler Ride | That Dennis is a good boy, to this you must agree, But listen while I tell you what that critter did to me. I am his old Grandpa, in fact, he bears my name; That didn't really matter; he did it just the same. | ||
| 23076 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 16 | Dennis Flake | The Last Roundup--Almost | We've been in lots of scrapes together, Old Vincent Flake and me. We won some and we lost some, In the days that used to be. | ||
| 23077 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 18 | Dennis Flake | Old Vet the Workhorse | We had a horse we called Old Vet And he could really buck. There was none of us could ride him. But a harness changed his luck. | ||
| 23078 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 19 | Dennis Flake | Old Age at 75 | I didn't think I'd make it, But here I'm seventy-five. It really isn't all that bad. I'm glad that I'm alive. | ||
| 23079 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 20 | Dennis Flake | The Taming of a Terrorist | We were camped in Apache County Near the reservation line; I was cooking for a crew of men; Things were going fine. They really lilked my biscuits and put a lot of them away. | ||
| 23080 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 21 | Dennis Flake | The Hashknife Outfit | They came to Arizona in the year of eighty-three, Hashknife was the brand they wore and it was plain to see. There were a lot of cattle and a lot of punchers, too. | ||
| 23081 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 22 | Dennis Flake | Life on the Lazy H | I've had some great experiences, and some not quite so great. Some I like to talk about, and some I don't relate. We were living on the Lazy H in nineteen forty-one; | ||
| 23082 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 23 | Dennis Flake | Old Joe | I bought him out in Oregon, this horse that we called Joe. The seller was Guy Rencher, a fellow you might know. He was no special breed, just a cow horse I would say | ||
| 23083 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 24 | Dennis Flake | The Taming of the Shrew | Scott is just a neighbor boy who likes to hang around; He wants fo find the action, at least what can be found. He doesn't always find it, but he found it yesterday | ||
| 23084 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 25 | Dennis Flake | My Prayer | Forbodings of grave things ahead That would distort all reasons power, Are held in check by Thy great love As faith I walk by every hour. | ||
| 23085 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 25 | Dennis Flake | I Have Always Known You | I remember when I met you half a century ago, You had something sweet and lovely What it was I did not know. I guess I knew and loved you | ||
| 23086 | Ropin', Ridin' and Ranchin' | FC 11 F-22 | 26 | Dennis Flake | Lonely Without You | I don't like it around here That's all that I can say. I took her to the hospital And left her there today. I hope that they can help her; | ||
| 23087 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 3 | Gary Anderson | Dad Young | Now my old Grandpa used to sit, In the house in his rocking chair. Chewing tobacco and spitting in a can, | ||
| 23088 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 4 | Gary Anderson | One More Light | This is about a man I once worked for, Across the Great Divide. Just above where there North fork, And the South Fork run side by side. | ||
| 23089 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 5 | Gary Anderson | Lou | Fifteen Two, Fifteen Four, Is what the old man said. He just kept counting up those points, As I slowly shook my head. He counted all his cards, Counted Twenty points and more! | ||
| 23090 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 5 | Gary Anderson | Rodeo Time | Went up to the Rodeo. To watch the rough stock buck. Them bronc riders were a spurring hard, Hoping it would bring them luck. | ||
| 23091 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 6 | Gary Anderson | Just a Little Poem | Was sitting in the Star Motel in Elko, About 6:30 one fine night. Got up to go to the restroom, 'Fore we set down to take a bite. | ||
| 23092 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 6 | Gary Anderson | Mother's | Saw this find young lady, In the hall the other day. She was packing her son upon her hip, Trying hard to find their way. But when she turned sideways I saw, She was packing one and carrying another. | ||
| 23093 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 7 | Gary Anderson | Board Meeting | Was sitting in the coffee shop the other day, Drinkin' coffee with the boys. The sun was low, the bull was deep, As theydiscussed thier latest ploys. | ||
| 23094 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 8 | Gary Anderson | The Test | This coffee here is so damned good, Will grow hair upon your chest. As the youngest and the newest hand, Was up to me to make the test. Shaking cup in hand, he filled it up | ||
| 23095 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 8 | Gary Anderson | New Shorts | Friends, I'm here to tell you, Of a terrible sight I've seen. About this fellow in a pair of shorts, They were red, white and green. | ||
| 23096 | Cow Trails and Cowboy Tales | FC 11 A-18 | 9 | Gary Anderson | Culture Club | The boy's and me play some poker, Almost every thursday night. Hope sometime to make our fortune, if the cards will fall just right. At the Culture CLub you'll find me, |