FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

101

Dave Stamey

My Journey Back to You

One month I worked a haying crew near the Fresno Country Line Nights were cheap tequila and Mogen David wine I rode horses for a one-eyed preacher lived outside of Reno

travel, hay, longing

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

104

Dave Stamey

Spin That Pony

Old Mike Hernandez was a bueno vaquero Rode some good horses Californio style I watched him for hours and he showed me a little Of the old California he knew for a while

pony, rodeo, outfit

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

107

Dave Stamey

A Pan Full of Dust

Listen, boys, I'll tell you how it is in California Listen I been here since '49 you broke your back to get here before all the gold was gone

mine, gold, panning, digging

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

110

Dave Stamey

The Trail Took Me Away

I remember how the wind burned my face and my hands I remember how the dust rose so far above the land I remember how my mama cried when I saddled up to go And my father told me, son, just be a man

family, regret, drinking

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

113

Dave Stamey

John Reese, Writer

His name was John Henry Reese, and he was born in Sweetwater, Nebraska, a place that almost isn't there anymore. When I met him in 1973 or 1974, he was sixty-three years old, but life had twisted him way beyond that age.

writer, short stories, movies

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

116

Dave Stamey

The Mark Twain Museum

The old guy said it was five bucks apiece to go down into the museum. I winced but handed over the money. This was a pilgrimage, after all; you couldn't really put a price on such things. I asked for a receipt.

newspaper, museum, floor

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

120

Dave Stamey

Come Ride with Me

Come ride with me, it's time to saddle up and ride away There's so much to see, don't worry, I know the trails, I know the way I caught a gentle horse, his eyes are big and brown He's ready to carry you the whole world 'round

ride, wilderness, horse

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

123

Dave Stamey

In Old McGee Canyon

Have you seen ol' Dick? He rode in this morning Rode in from Nevada, four hundred miles His horses are gaunted, and he's looking rough Says he's had enough, he'll camp here a while

meadow, mountains, wishing

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

125

Dave Stamey

Desert Winds

I said goodbye to my mother, to my father and all the other friends I knew I headed west to seek my fortune, to chase the foolish dream that has no end And I climbed the far blue mountains, higher than any tree could grow I never found the gold and silver, all I did was stumble down the other side

family, desert, wandering

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

128

Dave Stamey

Sharon Little Hawk

Sharon Little Hawk, where did you go? Tomboy girl with coal black eyes I see you in that schoolyard walking through the snow Underneath a Montana sky

girl, lost, native americans

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

131

Dave Stamey

Dusty Road

I like a dusty road, cattle guards and cottonwoods by the stream I like a dusty road with hills in the distance calling me See the horses in the morning when the air is soft and gold If they want to find me, they can find me Down a dusty road

road, cattle, dust

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

134

Dave Stamey

The Mission Bell

We came to the mission; they promised us food The men there said we should stay and learn to do good They said the land belonged to God now, and we must all obey They taught us to make adobe brick And how to kneel and pray

mission, native americans, culture

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

137

Dave Stamey

Geronimo's Children

Geronimo's great grandson sold pictures at a roadside stand Pictures of the old chief from a lawn chair in the sand His truck was parked behind the tent, the traffic rolled on by He handed me the picture, and looked me in the eye

picture, honor, survival

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

141

Dave Stamey

Used Rough

I started chewing tobacco when I was a kid I thought it would make me look mature I'm very sad to say that's exactly what it did Cuz when your teeth fall out you look older, that's for sure

wisdom, sayings, texas, cowboy

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

144

Dave Stamey

Someone Needs To Go Back Home

Go west, go west, that's what Horace Greeley said But that was years and years ago, and now Horace Greeley's dead But the people keep on coming, and bringing all their stuff If Horace was around today, he'd say, "Hey, that's enough"

suburbs, progress, construction

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

147

Dave Stamey

Crazy Mary

When cloud shadows drift 'cross the side of the hill When the wind moves high in the pines Mary sits there by her windowsill Watching the trail for a sign

waiting, love, devotion, loyalty

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

150

Dave Stamey

Ruby Could Sing

In the Tonopah Club in Tonopah, Nevada, in 1958 Slot machines rattle in the cigarette smoke; everybody's feeling great Through the vinyl and the velvet of this neon American dream Roy would play piano and Ruby would sing, my God, how Ruby could sing

casino, singing, betting

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

153

Dave Stamey

Lack of Direction

I was giving my wife directions how to get someplace the other day. By way of illustration I waved vaguely to my left and said, "First go north five or six miles-" "Wait a minute," she said, and whirled around until she was facing due north. Which, as it turned out, wasn't the way I'd pointed. "Okay," she said, "go ahead."

directions, life, travel

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

156

Dave Stamey

Twelve Mile Road

There's an old gravel road following the section line Out where lives are held together with sweat and baling twine Where you rattle your bones on a tractor over thirty years old And there's a mortgage and kids to be fed out on Twelve Mile Road

road, travel, mine

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

159

Dave Stamey

Blackjack Was a Mule

Blackjack was a mule, worked in the Syndicate Mine Since the age of two, worked in the Syndicate Mine

mule, labor, mine

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

162

Dave Stamey

Buckskin Horse

And she always wanted a buckskin horse With a yearning burnt deep in her soul

buckskin, horse, speed

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

165

Dave Stamey

All I Need Is You

I don't need a rainbow to find my pot of gold There won't be a fairytale when our story's told When push comes to shove, it all comes down to love I don't need the stars above, all I need is you

love, fantasy, romance

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

168

Dave Stamey

Song for Jake

I am an old cowboy; I don't ride much no more I came to this valley right after the war

cowboy, memory, life

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

171

Dave Stamey

If I had Money

If I had money, I'd go into town Get dressed up and I'd go walking around And I'd look at everything that they got down there Maybe even find a barber, let him cut my hair

money, laziness, desire

The First Twenty Five Years: Songs and Stories

Dave Stamey

FOLK COLL 11 S-76

174

Dave Stamey

Never Gonna Rain Again

I think I saw a cloud yesterday It hung around a minute, then it just blew away Another identical dusty day The only thing not telling a lie is the wind I don't believe it's ever gonna rain again

rain, cloud, longing