A series of seven poems are being carved into stones on the moors along the Pennine Watershed in Yorkshire.
The verses have been written by Marsden poet Simon Armitage, and each looks at a different type of water - from snow to streams.
The first of the Stanza Stones has been completed on Pule Hill near Marsden.
When the trail is complete, the stones will stretch from Marsden to Ilkley Moor. The last one will be in place by May 2012.
The exact location of the sites and the poems themselves are being kept secret - to give walkers more of an incentive to seek them out.
The Stanza Stones project is a collaboration between Mr Armitage, the Ilkley Literary Festival and imove, Yorkshire's cultural project for the London 2012 Olympics.
Mr Armitage said he takes of inspiration from the landscape.
"For me, it's about giving poetry back to the landscape - this is a county which is steeped in literary history and a lot of that is to do with the land, the geology and the environment.
"I'm writing about water, in a landscape defined by water, it's like our local gold.
"The poems are going to be as permanent as the landscape will let them be.
"Eventually time will take them back into the soil, eventually 100 years, 1,000 years they will disappear.
"I quite like that idea, you know even though it seems like forever, in the history of this kind of landscape it's just the blink of an eye really."
The poems will be carved by stonemason Pip Hall and her apprentice, Wayne Hart, with some of the work taking place on location.
The verses on Pule Hill were done on location and took a month to complete, with each of the 360 characters taking between seven and 10 minutes to carve.
Ms Hall said: "It feels quite a responsibility to try and make something which I feel very happy with and something which is hopefully going to enhance the landscape and people's enjoyment of those areas."
Makes a change from the usual things found carved on the Pennines.
"Get back you Yorkshire bastards!" springs to mind...
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:39 pm
by loCAtek
She should look into Inuit poetry.
..they have many words for 'water' or 'ice' or 'snow'.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:48 pm
by Gob
loCAtek wrote:She should look into Inuit poetry.
Who is "she" and WTF would Inuit poetry have to do with the Pennines?
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 10:53 pm
by loCAtek
The verses have been written by Marsden poet Simon Armitage, and each looks at a different type of water - from snow to streams.
...
The poems will be carved by stonemason Pip Hall and her apprentice, Wayne Hart, with some of the work taking place on location.
The Inuit also had multiple names for water, snow and ice..
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 24, 2011 11:05 pm
by Gob
So tell me again now, why should the stone carver, who is not the poet, look into Inuit poetry?
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 12:20 am
by Sean
Didn't you know? Those Yorkshiremen love their Inuit poetry.
"On frozen wastelands bah tat" springs to mind...
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 2:16 am
by The Hen
Speaking of Yorkshire poets, I hear that Simon Armitage was born in Marsden.
Perhaps his poetry would be appropriate?
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2011 10:52 pm
by Long Run
Not exactly Bob Dylan.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:18 pm
by loCAtek
Gob wrote:So tell me again now, why should the stone carver, who is not the poet, look into Inuit poetry?
The carver might have taste in other poetry dedicated to the same subject.
Similar inspirations are supposed to copy each other, didn't 'cha know?
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:13 pm
by Gob
loCAtek wrote:
Gob wrote:So tell me again now, why should the stone carver, who is not the poet, look into Inuit poetry?
The carver might have taste in other poetry dedicated to the same subject.
Similar inspirations are supposed to copy each other, didn't 'cha know?
That is possibly more stupid than your initial post, well done.
Why not just have the balls to admit you got the names of the poet and the sculptor confused, as any honest person would have done?
More attention by being a liar I suppose.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:15 pm
by Joe Guy
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:22 pm
by loCAtek
He asks for my further input then accuses me of wanting attention?
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2011 9:34 pm
by Gob
You really are illiterate, all I asked was for honesty from you for a change.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:09 am
by loCAtek
I honestly think these artists would be interested in Inuit poetry.
Personal opinions about me are irrelevant to that, obviously.
...unless you're a control freak, of course.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 6:19 am
by Gob
Ah, we're back to her "control freak" bullshit now. She always reverts to that when proven to be totally wrong/stupid/lying, or all three.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 8:12 pm
by The Hen
I honestly think that Inuit poetry has no place on the moors.
It would be quite ludicrous in fact.
I am sure the Greek also have lovely poetry about rain. However, that would be equally ludicrous to carve on the moors.
Does anyone know how many Yorkshiremen can read Inuit? I bet it is less than one.
Carving something on the moors that no-one from the moors can read would seem to be quite pointless.
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:08 pm
by Long Run
The Hen wrote:
Carving something on the moors that no-one from the moors can read would seem to be quite pointless.
Which is why they should avoid Leonard Cohen "lyrics".
Re: Rock poetry
Posted: Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:13 pm
by Gob
The carved faces in the sandstone. The 1855 inscription:
‘Oh the fisher’s gentle life
Happiest is of any
Void of pleasur full of strife
And belovd of many
Other joys are but toys
And to be lamented
Only this a pleasure is
Timber Fishing’
