FOLK COLLECTION 11: The Skaggs Foundation Cowboy Poetry Collection

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

121

S. Omar Barker

Horses Versus Hosses

I heard an old-time cowboy swappin' off some drawlin' talk.

nag, worn out horses, salty information on horses, knowledge, advice, race track, riding school, pampering horses, saddle, postage stamp, caressing, overprotective, combed, slick, elegant riders, shaggies, strength, hardy, sturdiness, toughness, firm, strong, stable-pampered, cow range hosses, spoiled, delicate, tame, racing

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

122

S. Omar Barker

Line-Camp Christmas Letter

Inside an Old West line-camp, settin' on his lonely bed.

dugout, outpost cabin, boar's nest, cowboy, writing, home, parent, family, Christmas cheer, drop a line, feeling well, safe, blizzard, cold, snow, drifting cattle, lame horse, scattered cattle, frozen waterholes, poor looking cattle, shack, Happy New Year, frostbit hands, Ma, Pa, Frank, Bess, low woodpile, busted ax handle, beans, scorched beans, mending a rope, goodwishes, wonderful cowboy life, Adelaide, Jack, critter, proud to be a cowboy, liking the job, tough, enduring, mother, father, pride

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

125

S. Omar Barker

Cowboy's Definition of a Saddle

They asked me "What's a saddle?" It's some leather-covered wood.

tenderfoot, getting used to sitting on a saddle, tender meat, soreness, pain, butt, rear end, seat, unaccustomed to riding a horse, rocking chair, cowboy's rocking chair, morning, dawn, coolness, chilly, cinch, blanket, saddle blanket, stirrups, boots, cowboy boots, doodad, trinket, saddle horn, bucking horse, cantle, horse's tail, straddle, cattle, cattle herd, bottom, rider, experience,

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

132

S. Omar Barker

Black Jack Ketchum

His name was Black Jack Ketchum, and he rode with Bronco Bill.

robbing, savvy, skill, killing, jokes, law, Clayton, shotgun, train conductor, prisoner, injury, injured arm, cutting off an arm, doctor, balk, grisly job, favor, Santa Fe, jail, pay to look at Black Jack, Jerry Leahy, Judge Mills, sentence, death, hang, jury,, hell, day of hanging, bloody trail, last favor, barber, shave, State Attorney, impatience, fretting, humor, gallows humor, black humor, dinner in hell, wittiness, hanging

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

131

S. Omar Barker

Fireside Windies

Now cowboys 'round the fire at night.

story, exaggeration, talk, broncs, broncos, gals, women, kissing, bragging, boast, big talk, showing off, swagger, prance

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

130

S. Omar Barker

Weddin' in Texas

The wedding guests were gay that night, with josh and joke and quip.

merriment, cheerfulness, celebration, six gun, tension, armed, Texas, blood, violence, frolic, horses, gun, bride, groom, dance, feast, beauty, Joe Sitterlee, music, band, fiddler, caller, singing, sudden silence, Ranger Hall, Bill Meador, Doc. Brazell, killing, confrontation, anger, list of wanted men, weddin' night, fight, blaze away, women, dry powder, wedding night, court, law, pain, heartbreak, jail, heifer, swinging, danger, revenge

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

127

S. Omar Barker

Rawhide Romance

A rawhide rope's an implement you sure have got to pet.

limber, flexible, carefulness, attentiveness, neatness, meticulousness, Ol' Mac, shoot, horse, town, lasso, lariat, dance, women, gals, Op'ry House, fancy, stitchin' on a boot, pattern, boots, nice girls, cheerfulness, amusement, fun, filly, date, flirt, Mac, show, ramrod, turned down, unaccepted, mooning, roping a girl, courting, marriage, possessions, treasure, wife, love courtship

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

123

S. Omar Barker

The Dancin' Kid

Clay Allison whiled dull time away.

jokes, rowdiness, six gun play, wild bunch breed, wildness, mean, heed, audience, shooting, shooting for fun, hard words, Lambert's Bar, ranch kid, popping gun, malicious, despiteful, evil, ill will, wicked, nasty, scared kid, fear, laughter, bar, drinking, whiskey, revenge, challenge, anger, courage, fearlessness, guts, gun, lead, dance not for fun, courageous boy, bravery, admit fear, bluff

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

136

S. Omar Barker

Ol' Ranny

Caught in a cliff-rimmed canyon.

longhorn, cowboys, trap, loop, roping, resisting animals, brand, sting of a brand, battle, fight, strength, power, might, energy, force, disgrace, eyelids, fringe, scrub oak root, blind the animal, half-blinded, sausage vats, tame herd, breaking a wild animal, escape, clog, hobble, break-out ,runaway, get free, break loose, breaking horses

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

135

S. Omar Barker

Ranchman's Widow

She's got ones on a doctor.

mother, children, daughter, Latin, education, school, knowledge, lawyer, ranch, foreman, Dad, father, memories, saddle, pride, brainy daughter, longing for the old days, riding men, success, ambitiousness, cowboy son, tenderness, cowpuncher dad,

Rawhide Rhymes

FC 11 B-05

134

S. Omar Barker

Wolf's-Eye View

When viewing gals in Levi's.

spic and span, men, women, shape, figure, pun on span, contour, profile, frame, look,

FC 11 B-33

no book, free number

Sonnets of a Freshman

FC 11 B-35

Berton Braley

Sonnets of a Freshman

It seems so strange to find myself down here, Away from pa and ma and all the rest

FC 11 H-24

no book, free number

FC 11 L-04

no book, free number

FC 11 S-34

no book, free number

The Old Square Dance of the Western Range

FC 11 W-10

1

C.C. Walsh

The Old Square Dance of the Western Range

Imagination onc't I had! I hain't got none no more.

Shorty's Saloon

FC 11 R-07

Johnny Ritch

Shorty's Saloon

By the trails to the past, on the Plains of no Care.

Illustrated by Charles M. Russell

Catching It Whole: A First Collection of Poems

FC 11 P-02

41

R.J. Petrillo

Banjo Picker Wind

The wind is a west wind running to north humming a snow tune over grey sage.

Ruby Mountain Rhymes

FC 11 W-09

2

Jack Walther

Ruby Mountains

I am part of this range of waving grass

Round-Up: The Roper

FC 11 C-31

1

Ernest Cox

Oh to Be a Cowboy

I have never attended a college.

pollution, smog, city, cowboy, The Western Cowboy, dreaming

Round-Up: The Roper

FC 11 C-31

4

Ernest Cox

The Bush-Whacker

I had just left the town of Elko.

lone, gunman, Mustang, recognized, clothes, disguise, crush, drink, water-hole

Round-Up: The Roper

FC 11 C-31

5

Ernest Cox

God's Country Colorado

Have you ever paid a visit friend.

Colorado, beauty, God, Love, world, creation, Himself

Round-Up: The Roper

FC 11 C-31

8

Ernest Cox

The Prospector

He was a cantankerous old cuss.

old, gold, donkey, rich, miner, prospector, Wonder, hungry,

Round-Up: The Roper

FC 11 C-31

12

Ernest Cox

The Bull Rider

He was born in Cattle Country.

rodeo, El Lobo, Brahma bull, bull riding, horn, bruise, bleeding, style, best