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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
23778 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 16 T.L. Bush Givin' The Boss A Gift The stocks been fed a little more, every cowboy knows the reason. It's 'cause their hearts are filled with love, through out this holy season.
23779 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 17 T.L. Bush A Cowboys Christmas Nightmare Christmas is for children, as any cowboy knows. Kids get up and play with toys, and cowboys, they get clothes.
23780 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 18 T.L. Bush A Special Christmas On Christmas eve in '65, A cowboy left the ridge. A simple ride alone Judith Creek, Then cross on Humpback Bridge.
23781 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 23 T.L. Bush The New Years Gatherin' January is a day for fun, A time for friends to gather. They'll come from near, they'll come from far, No matter what the weather.
23782 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 25 T.L. Bush A Cowboy Gets His Wish A cowboy quit the ranching game, And moved into the city. He left behind his hat and boots, To wear business clothes so pretty.
23783 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 27 T.L. Bush A cowboy that had stayed too long at a bar, staggered out and was knocked down by a big dog chasin' a cat.
23784 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 30 T.L. Bush He Never Stood A Chance "Jim Bob, where ya goin', Are you headin' into town?" "Jim Bob what ya' goin to do, You just goin' to mess around?"
23785 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 31 T.L. Bush Better Look Twice Ol' Jim Bob Jones and Hurley Brown, Went into the city. Got mystified by neon lights. And women oh so pretty.
23786 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 33 T.L. Bush Barley's Store Old man Barley was a friend of mine, But I never really knew it at the time. We hung around the store when I was a kid, And listen to the cowboy things he did.
23787 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 35 T.L. Bush Judge Horses Not Women Now cowboys, I'll tell ya' a story. It's a sad one, but won't take very long. To say women ain't right with their thinkin', Well, pardner I tell ya', is wrong.
23788 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 36 T.L. Bush Apple Sauce Oh! To be an apple, And hang there on that tree. I would not have to rise each day, Or chase some cow, you see.
23789 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 37 T.L. Bush Gone Under Now I know there ain't no reason Why you should listen to me down here. But these words I'm sayin' ain't for me So Lord could you lend an ear?
23790 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 39 T.L. Bush Trapped How many times have I rode up that trail, Where the big shoppin' mall's goin' in? And right over there, where them flashing lights are, Was the Rafter "T's" big shippin' pen.
23791 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 40 T.L. Bush Gettin' Older Well Buckeroo you done went and done it. Beat the devil out of, one more year. I don't think it's cause he don't want you, he's just punishin' the rest of us here.
23792 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 41 T.L. Bush "Doc" Law's Lament "How old are you?", the doctor asked. "Forty-one.", the cowboy said. "Well lookin' at these x-rays son, I'd guessed you ten years dead."
23793 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 43 T.L. Bush Cowboy's Don't Quit Well I graduated grade school It really weren't that tough By the time I got to Junior High I thought I'd had enough.
23794 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 46 T.L. Bush An old cowboy was celebrating his fiftieth wedding anniversary at a party held to honor the event.
23795 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 47 T.L. Bush A rodeo cowboy that had been on the circuit for five weeks walked into a restaurant one morning.
23796 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 48 T.L. Bush Two rodeo cowboys were standing on a river bank watching the girls sunbathing on the other side.
23797 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 49 T.L. Bush Two cowboys were setting in a local saloon, one was still a bachelor and the other just married long enough to see his independence was a thing of the past.
23798 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 50 T.L. Bush A newspaper reporter drove way out to the ranch of a local cowboy who was celebrating his 99th birthday.
23799 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 51 T.L. Bush One Sunday morning the preacher for a church in the heart of cattle country happened to notice a rancher in the congregation for the third Sunday in a row.
23800 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 52 T.L. Bush A cowboy was gettin' ready to check into a hotel and he asked the manager if his dog would be allowed to stay with him.
23801 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 53 T.L. Bush A bunch of cowboys were sittin' around the back door of a big building where they were getting ready for an indoor rodeo later that night.
23802 Cowboys, Cattle, Horses, and Stuff FC 11 B-65 54 T.L. Bush It's been said that a cowboy spends the first twenty years of his life with his mother asking him where he's goin'.