Last Full Measure of Devolution--By James Rasmusson--United States

Last Full Measure of Devolution

In 1863 Lincoln gave us the wisdom

of the Gettysburg Address:

government of the people,

by the people,

for the people,

shall not perish from the earth.

Seven score and thirteen years later

one asks if they died in vain as we address:

Government upon the people

over the people

against the people

perishing from the earth.

James began writing in the 1960’s and immediately showed a love for seasonal, humorous, and philosophical poetry. In the late 70’s, he became an ardent photographer and soon found that the two artistic mediums cross pollinated each other. West Michigan is an art Mecca with over 100 galleries and art camps with Jim residing in the lovely coastal town of Holland, Michigan. A practitioner of Surat Shabd Yoga since 1972, his art is an expression of his lifetime love affair with nature and his quest for truth. James is the winner of many awards in both photography and poetry including the 2005 Shadow Poetry 5th biannual chapbook competition. The artist says he likes to underscore the abstract and tease the mind and be ever alert for juxtapositions that express irony, absurdity, and poignancy, desiring for people to feel both tension and resolution in his compositions.