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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.

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Poetry table.

First Previous Next Last
IDBook TitleComposerIndexPagesAuthorPoem TitleFirst LinesKeywords
23341 Poems by Skinny FC 11 R-41 33 Skinny Rowland The Washtub by the Stove Now some things are fixed solid, in the memories of the past, and one such weekly episode, of my childhood will last. It mostly happened to me, the first thing in the morning,
23342 Poems by Skinny FC 11 R-41 34 Skinny Rowland Fuel Shortage Now the old pioneers were as rough as they came, and I'd hate to try that which brought such acclaim. Jack rabbits and prairie dogs, made a fine soup
23343 Poems by Skinny FC 11 R-41 35 Skinny Rowland No Doubt at All Hey! hold it up there dang you Jeb, you north end of a mule going south, I hear from the guys at the cookshack, that you've been running off your mouth.
23344 Poems by Skinny FC 11 R-41 36 Skinny Rowland The Chase Now me and Jed my old black horse, we got us quite a scare, when out of the brush came charging, this great big grizzly bear He was indeed a scary sight, with those shiny foot long claws.
23345 Those Drift'n Cowboy Ways FC 11 P-35 1 Chuck Prentiss Puppy Love Well I walked into a bar one day And a friend of mine was there The way he sat a-drinkin' I didn't think he had a care
23346 Those Drift'n Cowboy Ways FC 11 P-35 4 Chuck Prentiss Happy Birthday Dick Gibford Well, I hear you're turnin' forty Ya know? It's not that bad Nothin' really changes much You've still got all you had
23347 Those Drift'n Cowboy Ways FC 11 P-35 6 Chuck Prentiss Winter on the Ranch When springtime starts to roll around and melts the winter snow The sun shines bright and the birds come back from whereever it is they go
23348 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 17 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant To a Silent Girl When the skill'd fashioner of female faces Designed your mask, he wrought with cunning fist, And made a mouth expressly to be kiss'd-- Not for shrill utterance nor pert grimaces.
23349 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 18 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Pat Magee Dying! in the sheltering shade That the myall branches made, While the horse-bells clanged and tinkled, far away across the plain.
23350 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 19 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant The Good Things Which Remain Bluey the cattle-dog gammons asleep The pine-sparks fly and the embers glow While horse-bells ring and the crickets "cheep".
23351 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 20 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Beyond His Jurisdiction It was a Western manager, and a language-man was he, Thus spoke he to the shed-boss: "Send 'The Rager' round to me."
23352 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 21 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Brown Sugar She dwells beyond Goodooga, A daughter of old Mike, Jim names her "Sweet Brown Sugar"-- For reasons lover-like.
23353 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 22 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Lost Light In the starless night I heeded not The utter blank above; I dree'd a lonely, changeless lot, Untouched nor cheered by Love.
23354 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 23 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Much-A Little While "Love me little, love me long"-- Laggard lover penn'd such song Rather Neil!--In other style-- Love me much a little while.
23355 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 24 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Rulenis The prettiest girl in Queensland-She in a soft white silken dress, The wanton wind from her psyche Knot had fluttered one dusky tress.
23356 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 25 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Slewed! It was threat'ning to rain as the red sun sank down, And the races wer eover in Bidgeebel town: "A long ride out home is too much of a lark"
23357 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 27 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant West by North, Again We've drunk our wine, we've kissed our girls, and funds are sinking low, The horses must be thinking it's a fair thing now to go.
23358 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 29 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant In Such A Night A flood of moonlight from the sky, Where far stars faintly twinkle; And, softened by the night-wind's sigh, Is heard the horse-bell's tinkle.
23359 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 30 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant The Admiral! It was the time when punters ask-- "What horse think you the Cup will win?" And men essay the simple task Of doing surplus dollars in.
23360 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 32 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant At The Crossing of Warrigal Creek Through the ranges an echo in vain you may seek That can rival the echo on Warrigal Creek, Where the swart basalt mountain frowns rugged and still.
23361 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 34 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant A Striking Girl She was a biking girl--a giddy creature, Who 'round the neighbourhood had wheeled of late, With figure angular and flinty feature, An oldish girl--although quite up-to-date!
23362 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 35 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Last Night Last night, when the moon rose--round and white-- Over the crest of the distant hill, You sang your song to us there last night When the sleeping world lay hushed and still.
23363 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 36 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant The Austral "Light!" We were standing by the fireside at the pub, one wintry night, Drinking grog and "pitching fairies" while the lengthening hours took flight.
23364 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 37 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant The Prodigal's Reply Some time ago Bob crossed the foam And sailed for Cool-gar-dee, And when our hard-up boy came home, No wealthier was he!
23365 The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant FC 11 M-58 38 Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant Daffodil and Violet From flowers faded long ago The printed page has caught a stain; And, dreaming in the fire-light's glow, Old scenes com back to me, again.