FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Croutons on a Cow Pie

FOLK COLL 11 B-77

56

Baxter Black

Runnin' Wild Horses

The chase, the chase, the race is on The mustangs in the lead The cowboys hot behind the band Like centaurs, blurred with speed

mustang, wild, horse

Croutons on a Cow Pie

FOLK COLL 11 B-77

58

Baxter Black

The Flag

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the flag That flew over Valley Forge Was torn in two by the gray and the blue And bled through two world wars.

flag, america, patriotism

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

8

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Dark-Eyed Stranger

He came to Globe one Friday night, the town was open wide. He rode up to the Bucket of Blood and tied his horse outside. A woman's voice rang clear and sweet above the reckless din; The stranger leaned against the bar and told the keeper, "Gin!"

woman, cabaret, flirt, gun

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

10

Dee Strickland Johnson

Not Quite Lost Weekend

J. D. Maxwell worked near Keams Canyon on a ranch called the Rockin' XA. With his horse as his only companion, he started for Flagstaff one day.

accident, fall, drunk, head

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

11

Dee Strickland Johnson

Rawhide Annie

We called her Rawhide Annie; She was big and bad and tough- Except when she was drinkin'- Then she didn't seem so rough.

cowgirl, rough, flirt, drunk

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

12

Dee Strickland Johnson

Deja Vu

The lady hesitated with her hand on the barroom door. "Twas thirty years since that awful night when she'd been inside before; But 'twas over ten days since she'd seen her man, Who'd been out on a rambling roam; So she swallowed her pride and stepped inside - she had come to bring him home.

piano, murder, flirt, memory

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

14

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Queen of Spades

You've heard lots of sons 'bout the queen of hearts And the queen of diamonds too, But this one here's 'bout the I'm about to sing to you.

murder, heartbreak, temptress

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

17

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Quiet Man

The stranger entered the tavern and ordered a shot of Red Eye. "You're new around here, ain't you?" "Yep." was the stranger's reply.

louisiana, quiet, nickname

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

20

Dee Strickland Johnson

Morning in the High Hills

In the quietness of morning when the sky is clear and white and dawn's soft hush was slipped across the solitude of night, When the last pale star has fallen and a gentle, warming sun heralds yesterday's tomorrow, I know today has newly come.

sunrise, memory, sky

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

21

Dee Strickland Johnson

Winds of the West

Wind, wind, winds of the west, Vague voices call from the land I love best. Sighing and crying and hauntingly free, Incessantly whistling and whisp'ring to me.

wind, trees, home

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

22

Dee Strickland Johnson

My Blue Eyed Anna Beth

"It was many and many a year ago In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me."

love, poe, death, ballad

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

24

Dee Strickland Johnson

Fredonia

I saddle up one afternoon, and happily I hum the tune of some old plaintive cowboy song.

horse, freedom, travel

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

26

Dee Strickland Johnson

Cowboy Poetry: Out of Style

They say rhythm and rhyme are "passe"- they're just "poor Hudebrastic style." Despite the fact that it's tough to rhyme, I propose to compose here a lyric in free or blankety-blank verse; And you, when the effort is over, Tell me which of my wordings is w... inferior to the other.

cowboy, cattle drive, poetry

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

30

Dee Strickland Johnson

First Roundup

Come gather around, all you cowhands; I'll tell you the tale of a squall, All about the very first roundup By the very first cowboy of all. They called this here ol' waddie Shorty, Though his real name was Noah or Pop; This honest old pard found times were hard, Though he'd dealt all his cards from the top.

cowhand, roundup, chaos

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

32

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Boston Horse Trader

Harry's a horseman who comes from back east; There's nothing that he doesn't know 'bout the beast- Or that's what he's certain to tell you, at least, That mighty horse trader from Boston.

breed, trader, knowledge

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

34

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Taming of Wild Cat Willie

Sure you've heard of Wild Cat Willie, The worst, meanest hombre of all! That notorious gun-slinging outlaw Who carried a whole arsenal!

drunk, gunslinger, whiskey

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

36

Dee Strickland Johnson

At the Dance

I's feelin' right lonesome, so I rode into town, Just like some dang stranger a-lookin' around. I heard music playin'; it looked like a dance, So I tethered ol' Lightnin'; sez, "I'll take a chance." Then I was right happy I hadn't no pals, For the place was plumb filled up with good lookin' gals!

dance, partner, girls, beauty

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

38

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Really Rich Rancher and Me

Last weekend I met a rich man- owns a million head or more: Angus and Brangus - and horses: Arabians by the score. An O-lympic pool and six bathrooms, ten thousand square feet of space - And that is for only hom and his wife and the maid that helps keep up the place.

car, model, money

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

40

Dee Strickland Johnson

Tom's Truck

With my horse on the fritz, and me needin' a Schlitz, I borried my brother-'n-law's truck. I went on a bender and dented a fender- now ain't that a cow puncher's luck? My pal Dick and me, we just wet on a spree which lasted til three in the mornin'; Don't know about Dick, but I's feelin' right sick, when up comes this tree without warnin'!

truck, accident, anger

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

44

Dee Strickland Johnson

My Buddy

I've had a good buddy since high school, We've pardnered through tough, thick, and thin; And whenever I got into trouble, I knew that my buddy'd jump in.

love, girlfriend, memory, drunk

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

47

Dee Strickland Johnson

These Boots Ain't Made for Walkin'!

Say, these boots are made for walkin'? Now, that's plumb foolish takin'! Let's just trace that idle rumor to its source. Any guy whose twelve or older, With a saddle on his shoulder, Will tell you straight, he's lookin' for a horse!

boots, ride, stirrup, walk

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

50

Dee Strickland Johnson

My Vanishing Boots and Hats

These boots are from Sears and Roebuck. This hat's from Montgomery Wards. My beavers and leathers all vanished together- My stuff has just went by the boards!

clothing, boots, hat

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

51

Dee Strickland Johnson

Cowboy Goes A-Courtin'

My daddy died in '75. Mom's been mighty lonesome since then; But she's told me many and many a time, "I'll never get married again!

age, death, rancher, date

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

54

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Passing of a Cowboy

Slim and Stumpy had been good partners since the days when names were shortened 'Cause questions weren't always healthy to ask, and it wasn't considered important.

death, memory, horse, ad

First Roundup: Western Ballads

FOLK COLL 11 J-25

56

Dee Strickland Johnson

The Secret

I headed out west at barely fifteen, and somehow I got hired on To a cattle outfit; I's so proud I could spit To be helpin' the cook before dawn.

dream, cook, tea, immigrant