FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection
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.
Book Title
Composer
Call #
Pages
Author
Poem Title
First Lines
Keywords
Cowboy Odes
FC 11 M-42
15
Rusty Meador
"Wild Bill" Johnson
Out New Mexico way, in the town of Cimarron,/Lies the cow country that Bill Johnson called his home.
Powder River Jack & Kitty Lee?s Songs of the Range
FC 11 P-17
6
Powder River Jack and Kitty Lee
Platonia, The Pride of the Plains
You gaze on that picture with wondering pride
songs only
One Man of a Kind
FC 11 B-17
3
Everett Brisendine
To Harry Cooney -- Albuquerque
In the mail I got a letter.
letter, mail, poet, writing, friendship
Prairie Poetry: Cowboy Verse of Kansas
Jim Hoy
FOLK COLL 11 H-62
53
Don Hurst
Spraying Cattle
Helped spray cattle the other day Neighbor bought them down Mexico way.
shipping, corral
Sagebrush, Saddles and Spurs
FC 11 T-19
9
Hamilton Teichert
The Rancher's Dream
In the 1800's, Grandpa filed on some land He said, "Com on boys With lots of hard work..."
Rambler's Notebook: 50 Years of Scribblin': Songs & Poems from the Road
FC 11 A-16
47
Singin' Sam Agins
Man's Boon
When all else has failed you, and for fame in vain you've hunted, the reason you failed may be.
Cowboy Stuffin'
FC 11 A-06
34
Don "Cheese" Akerlow
A Ghost Town
There's nothin' left; Old buildings and tumble weeds; Broken down houses that were once a home; Old machines that don't work and no one needs.
City Cattle: Humorous Western Political Satire
FC 11 J-06
76
Derwin J. Jeffries
A Headin' Home
I've seen 'em lookin' mighty fine.
contented, love
A Little Bit of Texas: A Collection of Original Poetry
FC 11 N-10
9
Rod Nichols
Alamo
The veil of night descending soon.
tomb, freedom, liberty, price
Downwind O' Cows: A Collection of California Cowboy Poetry
FC 11 O-04
16
Chip O'Brien
The Fortieth Annual Town Fair an' Rodeo
At the fortieth Annual town Fair an' Rodeo, Fat Mike tripped hisself an' broke his little toe
The Nevada Cowboy's Album of Songs
Republic Features Syndicate, Inc.
FC 11 T-13
35
Dallas Turner (Nevada Slim), Arranger
Ridin' for the Valley of the Moon
There's a little gal a waitin' back on the old home ranch,
Saddle Bag Wit and Wisdom
FC 11 T-17
20
Dave Tingey
Just a Girl
I was taking her home after the prom that night.
More Muddled Meanderings in an Outhouse
FC 11 R-13
36
Bob Ross
Nifty Biffy
She tilts a bit and slumps to the back
Western Poetry: In this land of Little Rain
FC 11 M-56
88
Jane Ambrose Morton
Spirit of Christmas
I found many items while shoopping the mall, but what I most wanted was nowhere at all
An Afternoon In The West (More Cowboy Poetry, Pictures, and Other Stuff)
FC 11 C-57
57
D.L. Chance
The Old Woman's Trail Chili
Next to beans, this was the trail cook's best dish. Most of the ingredients could be carried in the chuck wagon without the probability of spoiling.
Muddled Meanderings of Yesteryear
FC 11 R-14
21
Bob Ross
Lure of the Sagebrush
Lonesome and homesick he sat there
Muses Of The Ranges
FC 11 D-28
71
John C. Dofflemyer
Each New Shadow
A shepherd has no chance of choice nor cowboys change of heart and hear the only human voice within where herds depart. It speaks of senses thet survive,
innocent, randomly, gunsels, movement, perpetuates, deliberates
The Stampede and Other Tales of the Far West
FC 11 L-05
103
"Powder River" Jack H. Lee
The Windigo Devil Fox
O'er Rattlesnake Hill and the Valley of Doubt; The Windigo Devil Fox.
The Humbler Poets: A Collection of Newspaper and Periodical Verse, 1870-1885
Slason Thompson
FC 11 T-04
199
W.F.E.I
Twilight's Hour
The sunlight on a waveless sea
Slabs of the Sunburnt West
FC 11 S-01
56
Carl Sandburg
Without the Cane and the Derby
The woman had done him wrong
Ranch Verses
FC 11 C-09
142
William Lawrence Chittenden
The California Girl
There's a wild rose breath of beauty.
beauty, impulsive, generosity
Ol' Mike's Philosophy and Foolishness
Mike Oatman
FOLK COLL 11 O-14
102
M. Kaylor Williams
Circus Daze
Little Tommy Jones had a piggy bank so flat he saved his dimes and nickels and made the piggy fat.
circus, animals, food
Signature of the Sun: Southwest Verse, 1900-1950
Mabel Major and T.M. Pearce
FC 11 M-02
271
Edward Doro
Ephemerides
April died the other night?
Famous Cowboy and Mountain Ballads
FC 11 F-23
89, 91
Lew York
Jungle stew
Old Keno Slim was chinnin' with the kid from Tennessee
Cowboy Lyrics
FC 11 C-03
67
Robert V. Carr
To A Cowboy Poet
He rode a bronk he called Pegas'.
cowboy poet, poetry, Homer, song