Washington awaits Jefferson's arrival, 1936: photo by Michael Ryerson, 29 December 2017
Bringing forth the idea from the stone
Took its toll, all those years of work
Nervous strain, headaches, stomach trouble
Yet did I ever once complain
Not I, Gutzon Borglum
But the dynamite... the drilling...
Every day
And then I couldn't go on
Yet somehow did go on because I was driven
One day I took a fall on the scaffolding
My back went out
But a few days later there I was again back up there
It was people like me
Who built Aswan
And now I don't even know their names anymore
Than you would know mine
Were I not the #1 monumental sculptor
In the greatest country in the history of the earth
I grew more and more cantankerous
After a while I knew I was never going to finish the project
But I was obstinate
My first attempt with the face of Jefferson
Blown up after two years
Did I despair
No
I dynamited large areas of rock from under Washington's Brow
And no one knew
The headaches got worse
My views regarding the superiority of the Nordic race
Fell on deaf ears
With everybody but the Grand Dragon
And on rolled the years
Were I not the #1 monumental sculptor
In the greatest country in the history of the earth
I grew more and more cantankerous
After a while I knew I was never going to finish the project
But I was obstinate
My first attempt with the face of Jefferson
Blown up after two years
Did I despair
No
I dynamited large areas of rock from under Washington's Brow
And no one knew
The headaches got worse
My views regarding the superiority of the Nordic race
Fell on deaf ears
With everybody but the Grand Dragon
And on rolled the years
Wilmington [LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 23 December 2017
Snowy day looking north on La Brea from De Longpre, 1921 | Looking north on La Brea, De Longpre crossing in the foreground and Sunset Boulevard in the middle distance. Chaplin Studios on the right. 1921: photo by Michael Ryerson, 28 December 2017
Snowy day looking north on La Brea from De Longpre, 1921 | Looking north on La Brea, De Longpre crossing in the foreground and Sunset Boulevard in the middle distance. Chaplin Studios on the right. 1921: photo by Michael Ryerson, 28 December 2017
Footprint, 1945 | Eiffel Tower in winter, photo by Robert Doisneau.: photo by Michael Ryerson, 30 November 2017
Golden hour at the lounge [Clarksdale, MS]: photo by Andrew Murr, 28 December 2017
Sign and steeple [south LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 28 December 2017
Stratigraphy [California coast]: photo by Andrew Murr, 27 December 2017
Han River Trail [Seoul]: photo by Seiman Choi, 20 July 2016
Han River Trail [Seoul]: photo by Seiman Choi, 20 July 2016
Truck on a rise [LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 27 December 2017
Incoming Storm. Cromer, Norfolk.: photo by Paul Greeves, 25 April 2017
Incoming Storm. Cromer, Norfolk.: photo by Paul Greeves, 25 April 2017
White fridge [south LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 25 December 2017
Hazlehurst Church | Robert Johnson's hometown [Hazlehurst, MS]: photo by Andrew Murr, 23 December 2017
Behind [invernesss-shire]: photo by John, 29 December 2017
Behind [invernesss-shire]: photo by John, 29 December 2017
Walking on thin ice: photo by gary geboy, 24 December 2017
Sign and steeple [south LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 28 December 2017
Untitled | Cathedral Park, St. Johns, Portland, Oregon: photo by dr.ōzda, 22 December 2017
Stratigraphy [California coast]: photo by Andrew Murr, 27 December 2017
Han River Trail [Seoul]: photo by Seiman Choi, 20 July 2016
Han River Trail [Seoul]: photo by Seiman Choi, 20 July 2016
Han River Trail [Seoul]: photo by Seiman Choi, 20 July 2016
Truck on a rise [LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 27 December 2017
Incoming Storm. Cromer, Norfolk.: photo by Paul Greeves, 25 April 2017
Incoming Storm. Cromer, Norfolk.: photo by Paul Greeves, 25 April 2017
Incoming Storm. Cromer, Norfolk.: photo by Paul Greeves, 25 April 2017
White fridge [south LA]: photo by Andrew Murr, 25 December 2017
vietnam: photo by gary geboy, 28 December 2017
vietnam: photo by gary geboy, 28 December 2017
Hazlehurst Church | Robert Johnson's hometown [Hazlehurst, MS]: photo by Andrew Murr, 23 December 2017
Behind [invernesss-shire]: photo by John, 29 December 2017
Behind [invernesss-shire]: photo by John, 29 December 2017
Behind [invernesss-shire]: photo by John, 29 December 2017