Poetry on the Poet Path

Quote by Thoreau near Thoreau Drive

To get from Birchbank Mountain to Webb Mountain, the north-bound hiker on the Paugussett Trail comes to a Land Trust property sandwiched between two short road walks. This section of trail is nick-named the Poet Path because many of the nearby roads are named after poets. You're never far from the roads and houses in here.

A lot of work was done over the past week digging the trail into the side of the hill for easier walking (see previous posts). That work is 90% complete. We wanted to give the Poet Path a bit more character, though. So we decorated the trail with some simple lines from Thoreau, Frost, Dickinson, Bryant, and Longfellow. These are all the names of nearby streets.

Themed rock sets, this one is about stars

The project was inspired by painted slates and rocks set out by "The Kindness Rocks Project," in particular a painted slate set out along the Rec Path near the Dog Park.  There's a slate dedicated to each poet, with some painted rocks below that are related to the chosen line from that poet. For example, for the line, "It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see," the rocks below the slate sign are of small things you might see when outdoors, easily missed if going too fast.

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see" - Thoreau

All the rock was painted by Emma Gallagher, and placed by Terry and Teresa Gallagher, the Paugussett Trail Managers for this section of trail.

Hanging the signs

Rocks turn out to be pretty heavy to carry down the trail. Multiple trips were required. But worth it.

This picture would be better with a sunset background

People who are into painting rocks are invited to add to the collection at any of the five stations. Please be sure to stick with the themes, though, so the quote about "sunset in a cup" would have rocks painted with that theme.