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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26015 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 31 | George Rhoades | If The Old Saddle Could Talk | You've heard it said, What a tale it would tell If this or that could talk-Walls, a chair, or dinner bell. Something that I know about Could tell some cattle stories- | Civil War, attic, heirloom | |
| 26016 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 33 | George Rhoades | It Ain't Easy Bein' A Cowboy | Somebody once said, and it's true, "It ain't easy bein' a cowboy." There's that tough, macho thing, Which pain makes hard to enjoy. Not backin' down at times That'd be the wisest to do, | horses, weather, cite, sunset | |
| 26017 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 35 | George Rhoades | It Takes a Cowgirl | You know what it takes To settle a cowboy down? They're used to roamin' round, Livin' free, makin' mistakes. Not worryin' about tomorrow Or regrets about yesterday, | slow, guilt, critter | |
| 26018 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 36 | George Rhoades | Last Texas Cowtown On The Chisholm | Scrub oak, cottonwood and brush Cover the places where the herds Pushed up from the Texas ranges, Funneled hundreds of miles From the Rio Grande down south, | Spanish Fort, saloons, deserte, wildlife | |
| 26019 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 38 | George Rhoades | Lillyanna and Me | We left Kansas in the wagon, Headed south down the prairie With goods and tools and mules, Lillyanna and me. Bound toward the new land Opened up in the territory, | hope, dream, life, free, raging | |
| 26020 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 39 | George Rhoades | Livin' In The Jukebox | Buford bought the jukebox When Eddie closed the bar; Set it up in his backroom, Dark, stocked with Lone Star. Played out his life, he said, Those records spinnin' there | church, alcohol, divorce, affair | |
| 26021 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 41 | George Rhoades | More Than Just Rhymin' | Words that sing, Words that ring, That catch the wonder And the thunder Of soarin' skies And coyote cries, Of Western history, Myth and mystery. | rhymes, trail, poetry | |
| 26022 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 42 | George Rhoades | Not All Pluses | It ain't all pluses about cowboy; There are some minuses, too. They're hardly, tough and cheerful, And generally, all that is true. They're praised in song and story, | stubborn, interview, time, graze | |
| 26023 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 44 | George Rhoades | No-Tech Cowboy | The old-timer grumbled and said, "I'm a no-tech cowboy In a high-tech world, And I sure don't enjoy "What they call progress; I don't Twitter, Bing or Yahoo, | Google, Skype, Facebook, iPhone | |
| 26024 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 45 | George Rhoades | Notrees Bullrider | He said he was the best there'd ever been At ridin' them bulls, if you please, And that he hailed from far West Texas From a place they called Notrees. | Hellnado, tornado, fight, bull, outclassed | |
| 26025 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 47 | George Rhoades | One More Rodeo | He said I'm goin' down to Houston For one more rodeo. I'm takin' that Texas highway; Just hide and watch me go. She said you got a farm to run And that ain't no easy thing; | crop, pretend, butterflies, glory, sling | |
| 26026 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 49 | George Rhoades | Ramblin' Rose Will Ramble Never More | You've heard of the Yellow Rose of Texas And the Rose of San Antone, But have you heard of the Ramblin' Rose, Her story unheralded and unknown? | Rio Grande, rancher, confusion, cliff, quicksand | |
| 26027 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 51 | George Rhoades | Red River Rose, Barrel Racin' Queen | "I run this bar now," she said. "Beside the river near the bridge Close to the spot where the herds Headed north down the ridge. "See them trophies and buckles Up there along that wall? | Jeanie Jean, barrels, gold, cemetery | |
| 26028 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 54 | George Rhoades | Ridin' Daydreams | High above the city streets, Surrounded by glass and steel, Computer screen and keyboard, Workin' another business deal- Old folks would ask him, When he was a boy at play, | department, Abilene, quicksand, reality | |
| 26029 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 56 | George Rhoades | Rodeo Crazy Once More | You know, he said, so far I think I'm insane, But if you're really crazy, Then you don't think you are. I left a good woman on the way, A family and steady work; | foolish, young, rule | |
| 26030 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 57 | George Rhoades | Roots Of The Chisholm | Deep in the heart of Texas At a Chisholm Trail Day, Festivities in a little town, Cowboy events under way. A learned history prof Lectured us about the trail, | Lone Star, path, branches, death | |
| 26031 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 59 | George Rhoades | She Didn't Want a Cowboy | She was raised In cowboy country, Out on her daddy's ranch. She said she didn't want A cowboy- All banged up and bruised- Something in a sling- His boots always muddy- | neat, orderly, city feller, safe | |
| 26032 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 60 | George Rhoades | Shining A Saddle | Shining up a saddle Takes oil and elbow grease, Saddle soap and polish, Best with a fluffy fleece. You want soft and supple, The parts made of leather, | lather, repair, rules | |
| 26033 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 61 | George Rhoades | Sing A Cowboy Song | Don't sing me a song About plumbers or car dealers, Engineers, chefs or lawyers Or even about faith healers- It's songs about cowboys, That's what I wanna hear, | frontier, flooded, tradition, epic | |
| 26034 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 62 | George Rhoades | Smell of Money | Downwind From the feedlot, Smell of money, You say- Then money Smells funny, Especially On a hot, Windy day. | funny, windy, feedlot | |
| 26035 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 63 | George Rhoades | Smoke From The Brandin' Iron | She said, "Where you been To just now be comin' in?" "I been working'," he said. "I really need to get to bed. "I helped Herbie work a load Of Texas calves from down the road." | calves, whiskey, numb | |
| 26036 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 64 | George Rhoades | The Trail Goes on Forever | The trail goes on forever Through out memory, Burned and branded deep Into our history. The legend of this country, Our true epic tale: | myths, identity, river, pursued | |
| 26037 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 66 | George Rhoades | Waitress | She works the day shift, five days a week; she has a daughter in El Paso, But they don't speak. She waits on customers in the Main Street Cafe, | coffee, shift, menu, dreams | |
| 26038 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 68 | George Rhoades | Year of the Great Longhorn Cheer | The Great Longhorn Cheer Is still talked about today In the little country town, Or so the old-timers say. Bands, floats and pretty girls, Parade to honor the pioneers, | Western, steers, injured, voices | |
| 26039 | After the Chisholm | FC 11 R-45 | 70 | George Rhoades | Zen And Workin' Cattle | Billy Bob said he'd been watchin' This zen master on TV, Learnin' to be focused and centered, And how to live simply. We was workin' a crop of calves Out on the CR range | strange, routine, eat, angry, pie |