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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.

Search:

Poetry table.

First Previous Next Last
IDBook TitleComposerIndexPagesAuthorPoem TitleFirst LinesKeywords
2052 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 96 Arthur Chapman In Mesa-Land In Mesa-Land the sand dunes stretch afar. silence, peace, sand, mesa
2053 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 97 Arthur Chapman The Forest Fire The smoke-clouds roll like an angry flood. fire, forest fire, nature, time
2054 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 99 Arthur Chapman Trail Song The lead horse bends to the task, full strong. mountain crest, climbing, rest
2055 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 100 Arthur Chapman The Fire-Fighters "Where's Smith and Hennessy, Edwards, Stowe...?" firefighters, fire fighting
2056 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 101 Arthur Chapman The Geysers of the Yellowstone What Tantalus is chained below, to sigh thus through the years. Yellowstone, geysers
2057 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 102 Arthur Chapman The Dude Wrangler Bring me some good red likker -- the kind that smokes in the glass. dude, greenhorn, Yellowstone Pass, liquor
2058 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 104 Arthur Chapman The Old Yaller Slicker The old yaller slicker's the cowpuncher's friend. yellow slicker, slicker, gear, clothing, style, rain
2059 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 105 Arthur Chapman October on the Sheep Range There ain't no leaves to turn to gold, there ain't a tree in sight. autumn, October, sheep
2060 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 106 Arthur Chapman The Hermit He watches where the wild deer drink. hermit
2061 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 107 Arthur Chapman Watering the Trail Herd The sand dunes stand, 'mid desert sheen. water, watering hole, dry, desert
2062 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 108 Arthur Chapman The Cliff Dwelling On the cold, gray wall of the canyon deep. cliff dwelling, petroglyphs, art, past
2063 Cactus Center Poems FC 11 C-06 110 Arthur Chapman The Camel Ride of Arroyo Al With an old, goat-whiskered burro, that had seen a better day. prospector, Death Valley, burro, camels
2064 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 67 Arthur Chapman The Diamond Drill Man He's cut as clean as a new-made coin. strength, personality, gold,
2065 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 69 Arthur Chapman Tex Tex was all we called him, in them days-- rope, drink, gambling, shoot, dance, governor, East
2066 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 71 Arthur Chapman The Traders Cowboys is the durndest boys to swap. change things, deal, saddle, bridle, wives, trade
2067 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 72 Arthur Chapman The Frontier Fort Its walls of sod have crumbled. past, redskin, bravery, memories, Indians
2068 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 73 Arthur Chapman The Border Riders The devil has opened his furnace door. outlaw trail, dry, thirst, water, alkali, bullets
2069 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 75 Arthur Chapman The Range Pirates Me and my hoss --that's all the firm. cattle land,outfits, rustler, steal, sagebrush seas, rustling
2070 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 76 Arthur Chapman The Bunkhouse The bunkhouse on the cattle ranch. shelter, warmth, storytelling, papered walls, chat, smoke, card game cards
2071 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 78 Arthur Chapman The High-Heeled Boots He stands upon the city street, keen-eyed, and brown of face. cattle punching, wide sky, sagebrush, wolf, knight, change, grain
2072 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 80 Arthur Chapman The Homesteader There ain't no smiling vistas out where I've drove my stakes. isolation, Lone Tree Draw, care, hard work, Mary Ann
2073 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 81 Arthur Chapman The Kiddies' Play-Hour The p'rade ground swimming' in sunshine, the colors. children, nurses, officer's wife, soldiers, love, fort
2074 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 83 Arthur Chapman The Indian Police Give us the wind in our faces. unfenced space, dander, plains, open range, trailing, battle, Indians
2075 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 84 Arthur Chapman In Lonesome Land In Lonesome Land few friends is all you need. friendship, truth, honesty,
2076 Out Where the West Begins FC 11 C-07 85 Arthur Chapman The Invalid Sick in the cow-camp --moonin' round. pain, ache, help, rain, dumpness, cheerfulness