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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23238 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 64 | Dick Hays | Th' Bareback Ride | "Let's get him out!" a rider said, as he fell upon his back, An' hung his spurs away up front In a big ol' rangy black. | ||
| 23239 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 65 | Dick Hays | Team Tyin' | Now Bud an' Joe are Texas boys From down next to th' line, Where ropes an' steers are common Even in these modern times. | ||
| 23240 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 66 | Dick Hays | Bulldoggin' | Bulldoggin' or steer wrestlin' are one an' all th' same: No chore for little school boys comin' under either name, No ropes er man-made gimmicks, just bootheels an' his hands, | ||
| 23241 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 67 | Dick Hays | Bronc Ridin' | A chute gate swung with a mournful groan, An' a-fallin' out came an ol' blue roan With a cowboy a-settin' atop his back, A-ridin' his rein an' a-pullin' th' slack. | ||
| 23242 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 68 | Dick Hays | Calf Ropin' | Th' calf is in th' chute, th' roper in th' box, Th' flagman at th' barrier, an' th' timer's at th' clocks. Th' piggin' string in th' roper's mouth | ||
| 23243 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 69 | Dick Hays | Th' Clown | Here he comes a-ridin' back-ards, He's quite a funny sight, A buckin' horse in his left hand, A suitcase in his right, Both is spurs a-workin | ||
| 23244 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 70 | Dick Hays | Th' Bull Ridin' Dude | It jest so happens that a boy, A bull ridin' friend o' mine, Is laid up with a busted foot That he gathered down th' line. He's got a bull that's comin in | ||
| 23245 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 75 | Dick Hays | Deeck Hays | Now, I'm ol' Juan, bot I 'spose you know Because Deeck Hays has tole you so. Now how th' hell he geet so smart, I wish I know jus when he start, | ||
| 23246 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 76 | Dick Hays | Juan at the Football Game | Now me myself, well I'm ol' Juan An' sixty jears have I been born, Bot in all th' jears that here I be, It's never before that I have see | ||
| 23247 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 77 | Dick Hays | The Horny Toad | Now me ol' Juan set by th' road A-watchin' wan beeg horny toad, While weeteh hees tongue he ketch th' ants That sting like hell when in my pants. | ||
| 23248 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 78 | Dick Hays | Juan at the Rodeo | Now me ol' Juan, I op an' go, Take me myself to th' rodeo To see them cowboys rope an' ride An geet bucked off an' skin hees hide. | ||
| 23249 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 79 | Dick Hays | The Carnival | Now me ol' Juan an Jose, Hees pal, We go to see wan carnival, An' at th' gate we pay ten cents To geet inside th' town of tents. An' chore inside ees lots of noise | ||
| 23250 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 80 | Dick Hays | The Airplane Ride | Now me ol' Juan ees go insane An' take a ride on wan airplane. Thees guy that drives, he wants to know Jus' how high Juan wants to go. | ||
| 23251 | The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant | FC 11 M-58 | 1 | Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant | A Night Thought | The world around is sleeping, The stars are bright o'erhead, The shades of myalls weeping Upon the sward are spread. | ||
| 23252 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 81 | Dick Hays | The Radio | Now me ol' Juan go hunt Manuel, For to heem wan cow I wan' to sell, An' when i walk op to Manuel's place Well through th' window i see his face | ||
| 23253 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 82 | Dick Hays | The Auto-Mo-Beele | Now Ramon hees leeve jus' 'cross my field, Hees buy heemself beeg aut-mo-beele. Instead of plowin' in hees groun', Hee's all th' time ees ride aroun'. | ||
| 23254 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 83 | Dick Hays | Juan's Uncle Sam | Now me ol' Juan, I meskin man, bot wan good friend to Oncle Sam, An' when ees empty, Sams money sacks, Then me myself go pay my tax. | ||
| 23255 | The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant | FC 11 M-58 | 2 | Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant | A Song | The sun may shine, the rain may fall, And the world roll round about,-- The king's men and king's horses all Can never rub one thing out. | ||
| 23256 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 84 | Dick Hays | The WPA | Now me ol' Juan, th' other day Geet wan job weeth WPA. An' me myself ees no geet tired Because th' work she no ees hard. Jus' lean on shovel all th' day, | ||
| 23257 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 85 | Dick Hays | Election Time | Now me ol' Juan ees popular guy An' me myself ees not know why, Bot wan man come in beeg fine car An' geeve to Juan th' good cigar | ||
| 23258 | The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant | FC 11 M-58 | 2 | Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant | A Summer Midnight | Athwart the star-lit midnight sky Luminous fleecy clouds drift by, As the mysterious, pallid moon Sinks in the waveless still lagoon. | ||
| 23259 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 86 | Dick Hays | Juan's Wife | Now me myself an' my good wife, We leeve together mos' of our life. She patch my clothes an' keep them clean, An' cook for me th' chili an' beans. | ||
| 23260 | The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant | FC 11 M-58 | 3 | Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant | Love Outlasteth All | Could I borrow the laverock's lilting note, Or the silvery song from the blackbird's throat, Then would I warble the whole day long. | ||
| 23261 | From a Cowboy's Point of View | FC 11 H-52 | 87 | Dick Hays | Juan' Birthday | Now me ol' Juan I'm old an' gray, For sixty jears I am today,, An' me myself an' quart of wine Chore gonna have a wan beeg time. | ||
| 23262 | The Poetry of 'Breaker' Morant | FC 11 M-58 | 3 | Harry 'Breaker' Harbord Morant | Paddy Magee | What are you doing now, Paddy Magee? Grafting, or spelling, now, Paddy Magee? Breaking, or branding? Or overlanding. |