Butler Creek
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A large clear creek ran through the back edge of the Park,
In Sulphur Springs, Arkansas, that was close to my heart.
In the summers of my youth, from ages five to sixteen,
Butler Creek helped educate this fine youth and teen.
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Butler Creek
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Butler Creek ran through Sulphur Springs so very close,
To Grandma’s home by the highway where the hill rose.
It ran at the back of the park near the sulphur water wells,
That were the towns name sake where tourists did dwell.
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Sometimes Grandma would cook up some fried chicken,
And we would take it to the park to do some finger lickin’.
As we picnicked on a blanket next to Butler Creek’s bank,
It was oh so much fun as the good Lord we did thank.
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Butler Creek ran naturally clear with many deep blue pools,
The creek was pristine with water that was so very cool.
Big fish were in the creek that flowed right through town.
The local kids and I fished on the bank on that ground.
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We threw spinners catching Brown Bass and Blue Gill,
At 5 years old, for me, it was really quite a big thrill,
That began my love of fishing then at a very young age,
And prepared me for Colorado trout fishing, a later rage.
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Before we would go fishing for Crappie at Grand Lake,
We would stop at Butler Creek and trap minnows for bait.
We set out Granddads minnow trap in the very best pools,
To catch Crappie sized minnows to use as our bait tools.
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I loved catching those minnows right there in Butler Creek,
Nearly as much as catching Grand Lake Crappie fish meat.
We often caught some big crawdads in Butler Creek too,
When we wanted to fish for some big catfish called Blue.
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When I was five, my Dad took me to Butler Creek one day,
And threw me in one of those deep blue pools on our way.
He said “sink or swim son,” so I learned to swim very fast,
It was either swim or go down choking with no class.
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So I learned to swim in Butler Creek that day on my own,
With my friends on the bank cheering me very loudly on.
After that, I went swimming every day we weren’t fishing,
Learning to swim like a fish was much better than kissing.
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At the North end of that park, Butler Creek was dammed,
Making the very best damned swimming hole in the land.
We spent endless hours swimming in that little lake there,
Every summer each year on our annual vacation so fair.
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That one small creek in that small town of Sulphur Springs,
Was the source of many hours of fun from so many things.
Living and loving my life there when I was so very young,
The memories from those days still chill me to the bone.
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By Bill
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Thanks for reading Butler Creek.
Bill