The Last Post (Installing QR Code Poetry)

The audio above was recorded whilst installing the final few poetry tiles along first 36 miles of the Coleridge Way. Working with local pupils who live on or close to the trail Mr Jelley has installed over 100 poems along the path and each one hidden inside a QR code.

'Jenny Mash was an essential component to this project without her involvement I feel the quality of poetry would be but a shadow of its current form. ' C Jelley

This is a culmination of two years working on the trail with the final tiles being installed early October 2014.

Revealing the poetry is simple, just add a scanning app to your smart phone, QR codes can be decoded 'on the fly' so there is no need for mobile or data connection. These are ideal for the wild landscapes of Exmoor and the Coleridge Way.

The short film has poetry extracts and shows the large tiles installed at Conygar Tower in Dunster.

The Fine Poets of Conygar Tower

When you say it was a cold day, do you mean, 30 mph winds, and snow in the air?! Well that's what they braved, the young poets of Dunster First, out there word harvesting despite the icy chill and risk of exposure. But rather than rant on about the weather and the sterling little champions pictured above, I think I will just post some of their poetry instead.

It was a great day, many thanks to all.

The trees are as squeaky as the squirrels

On my adventure to the evil black tower with a floating eye above to guard the great king below.

Who ever tries to see the king face to face must have their sons taken away, and their bodies burnt down to only one ash each.

I could hear grass waving below my feet and the small tall birds above in the air singing all around me. And when they stopped I scarced hearing the air whispering and then, just then, I stumbled across Conygar Tower

There was a rookery that belonged to a greenie, bluely, blackie Crow

 that squawked as you walked by,

it seemed like they were sitting next to you,

 when they were actually up in the sky.

The wind was like a werewolf, howl, howl it felt like frosted snow.

Whilst I charged through Conygar Woods,

I started to puff like a man carrying goods,

The stones clanked and the rough grass snapped

Whilst on the edge of the path that nettles sapped

Alex started charging round and round,

As though he was a bull with his tail bound,

Mrs Grey said 'stop running but he couldn't stop,

He tripped on a tree root and fell down . Plop!

Mr Jelley pointed out a gnarled old tree,

For it was near the path and we could all see,

It had gnarled old branches and with hardly any leaves,

and in our toes we all got the peeves.

We carried on till we reached the crumbling tower,

When all of a sudden we had a sparkling snow shower,

Anya tried to eat the shining snow,

the wind came over and my scarf was caught in the blow.

Some extracts from different pupils, others (like the last one) in their entirety. I have a whole heep of these from yesterday and who knows what gems lie inside. There are two more schools to do Porlock and Nether Stowey, and when their word harvesting is complete I will be turning them into QR codes, laser cutting them into slate and then putting back into the landscape from which they were inspired. But that's for a later blog.

Story Boxes coming in Spring 2013

There are three artists currently working on the Rejuvenation of the coleridge way, and this summer will see the first of these works come to fruition. Christopher Jelley's storyboxes are a simple concept, and one in wide use in many places. The blue boxes (pictured) will be placed along the path of the Coleridge way this summer, find one, read the story so far, add a paragraph or drawing but no more and then leave for the next family.

Here is a little google map of where they are due to be located, all permissions will be received before boxes are placed. 'This is a really exciting project and one which all ages and abilities can get something from' said Chris. 

View Coleridge Way Story Boxes Christopher Jelley in a larger map

Each box is to be started by a different author, but he won't tell us which is which, so you'll have to guess.

Current locations are Coleridge Cottage (National trust), Porlock visitor centre (End of the Coleridge Way 36miles), Horner Tea Gardens, and Webbers Post (Beneath Dunkery Beacon)