LJI Week 2: My Mount Rushmore

[alycewilson]

Images of myself from April 2017, April, July and October 2018, becoming gradually more fit

Fourteen years, sculptors blasted and chipped,
suspended by rope. Four faces
emerged, blocky. Imperfect. Then, finally,
sculpted complete. At first, envisioned
as waist-deep portraits, their final form
became faces only. Faces hewn
into granite, formed by slow
crystallization of magma
beneath the earth's surface.

For fourteen months -- or more -- I've chipped
away my own granite body. My magma-formed
slow crystallization of eating emotion.
Imperfect. Blocky at first, but
gradually more sculpted. Chiseled forms
emerging from face to waist. Forming
a final portrait, suspended between
my vision and hope.

- October 14, 2018

This is my entry for LJ Idol, with the prompt "My Mount Rushmore."

Comments

[static_abyss]

Great piece and congratulations on what you have achieved. As someone who has gone through a similar journey, I always felt like it was important to acknowledge the victories.

[alycewilson]

Thank you! It's definitely important to savor the small victories, because otherwise it's too easy to get discouraged.

[adoptedwriter]

Great work!

[alycewilson]

Thanks! And thank you for reading and commenting.

[nayanawrites]

Wow ... that is no small achievement ... As for me I have always been to lazy to fight battles with weight or be inspired to work to a healthy lifestyle. And I have always been in awe of people who work that extra inch ....

Well Done ... Keep going till you achiever your target !!!

[alycewilson]

Thank you! It is slow going, to be sure, but I'm becoming stronger than I ever imagined and inspiring my son along the way.

[reidharriscooper]

I enjoyed the approach with this poetry.
As someone who constantly chips away then finds new rocks and chips away again and again I feel the sculpting is never finished. A constant process of building and rebuilding. Not seeking perfection, but still an imperfection I can always been happy with. Hey Mount Rushmore has had remodeling or clean up itself a few times.

[alycewilson]

Exactly. I view it as a continuing process of challenging myself and improving my fitness, despite setbacks. Glad to hear you have a similar viewpoint. I think life is about learning and pressing on.

[jenwithapen]

LOOK AT YOU, DARLIN'! This is HUGE progress and should be celebrated far and wide!!

Now, that aside, I LOVVVE LOOOOVEEE LOOOVVEEE what you've done here! "Chipped away at my granite body," she says! It's pretty brilliant! =D What a great take!

[alycewilson]

Thank you on both counts! I had fun with this one, playing around with the same language in the second stanza I was used in the first.

[the_eternal_overthinker]

Lovely and so inspiring! I loved what you did here and poetry is no mean feat..Great job! Kudos!

[alycewilson]

Thank you! I do love writing poetry, when the inspiration fits.

[bleodswean]

You look FANTASTIC! What an inspired response to the prompt!

[alycewilson]

Thank you on both counts! To be honest, I spent so much time helping KFP get his entry up this week that I just went with what came to my mind first.

[fausts_dream]

Well done. (In all respects)

[alycewilson]

Thanks so much!

[dmousey]

Nice! This was really cool in how you tied everything together. What are you doing for fitness (I'm envious since I'm not very ambulatory)? Lifting weights?

[alycewilson]

For years I've been doing cardio workouts throughout the week -- Cardio Kickboxing, Water Aerobics and Zumba. But recently, I started lifting weights again, which I did the last time I made a major change in my fitness levels, about a decade ago. I feel so strong now, and I'm moving much more comfortably in so many ways.

[rayaso]

I loved the poem and your photographs. I am glad you continue to improve your fitness. Gradual improvement may sometimes try your patience, but I suspect it will be more long lasting.

[alycewilson]

Yes, the gradual improvement can be frustrating, until I remind myself that the last time I got in shape (which was about a decade ago, in the years before I had my son), I averaged about a half pound of weight loss a week! Glad you liked the poem.

[sorchawench]

Good job on the health...and the prompt. Now, can I buy some motivation for myself? LOL

[alycewilson]

My secret? I think of my 8-year-old boy, KFP, and how I want to live a long time and have a lot of great moments with him. He's also my biggest cheerleader.

[halfshellvenus]

This is really good progress for these 14 months, and that has to be encouraging!

a final portrait, suspended between
my vision and hope.
I liked this finally line-- and image-- very much.

[alycewilson]

Thanks! I was trying to evoke the same images in the second stanza that were in the first, such as the workers dangling on ropes.

Thanks, too, for the kudos on the progress.

[bewize]

You look great! What a good take on the prompt.

[alycewilson]

Thank you! Still chiseling away!

[bsgsix]

It's an impressive journey, and one I've been following with you for a long time. I know what it feels like to reach the goal, and to feel strength and power as you get there. And I see pride in your stance and face. I'm glad. You deserve this, and you've worked for it.

I love this take on the prompt. This is wonderful. *hugs*

[alycewilson]

Thank you! You above all other people can probably identify with the fact that sometimes, no amount of progress seems good enough. That's why sometimes it helps to be able to look at photos and see the cumulative effect.

FYI, I actually weigh 20 pounds more in the fourth picture than in the first one! Muscle really does weigh more.

[bsgsix]

Oh yes. I definitely identified with a lot of this for certain. Looking back and seeing the progress - even just the bolder look on your face - makes a WORLD of difference. I still look back at pics from when I was 200 pounds, compare them to the 124 pounds I am today, and notice just how much happier, youthful, and content I am. And it's not just the weight - it's the effort, and that I lived long enough to do it!

Honestly, I wouldn't have known you weigh more in that fourth picture. But you are so right about muscle. I'm really happy for you. I think you look radiant, and I KNOW you are putting in so much effort!

[megatronix]

Wonderful word choices, and wonderful work on your fitness goals too - that's awesome! I'm on the never ending ups and downs of my own fitness cycle, and am gratefully heading in a good direction these days.

[flipflop_diva]

You can definitely see the improvement! That's awesome!! It's such hard work so huge props to you.

Also I love the poem, especially "I've chipped away my own granite body." Great use of the prompt!

[vik_thor]

congrats!
Hope you are feeling better physically!

[tatdatcm]

Really love this line: "My magma-formed slow crystallization of eating emotion."

It sums up how I feel about my weight gain over the years. I too am trying to chip away. I wish you luck and acceptance of the beauty you are as well as the beauty you are working to become.

[song_of_thea]

This is beautiful.

[murielle]

Yay you! Way to go! Congratulations! I know intimately of this struggle, so well done Alyce!

And well done with the prompt!

Fantastic!