An American sentence:
Sometimes I’m not inclined to verse but find myself counting syllables.
What’s an ‘American Sentence’?
Allen Ginsberg, inventor of the American Sentence, felt that the haiku didnโt work as well in English. Ginsberg decided to remove the line structure of the haiku, maintaining the requirement of 17 syllables total. He felt that removing the line count freed the American Sentence up for the idiosyncrasies of English phonemes.
The requirements:
- Composed in one line;
- Syllabic, 17 syllables;
- Condensed, written with no unnecessary words or articles;
- Complete sentence or sentences;
- Includes a turn or enlightenment.
Let’s write poetry together!
When it comes to partnership, some humans can make their lives alone – it’s possible. But creatively, it’s more like painting: you can’t just use the same colours in every painting. It’s just not an option. You can’t take the same photograph every time and live with art forms with no differences.
–Ben Harper (b. 1969)
Would you like to create poetry with me and have a completed poem of yours featured here at the Skeptic’s Kaddish? I am very excited to have launched the ‘Poetry Partners’ initiative and am looking forward to meeting and creating with you… Check it out!
The Skeptic's Kaddish ๐ฎ๐ฑ 
That’s good too. Ingrained in the head. ๐
๐๐ Terveen ๐๐
Like breathing out and breathing in…(k)
๐ค Kerfe ๐ค
I don’t know why, but this one especially tickled me. Thanks for sharing, David!
๐ Paul ๐ – I’m so glad. Thank you for sharing that with me!
With talent like yours, YOU MUST!
Awww, thanks, Bella!
โค
David
I’d rather count syllables than almost anything else. (4 syllables short) Oh well, better poetry than the number of empty beer bottles or worse still, broken hearts….
How about counting sheep? ๐
of course you do.. sometimes maybe more than not! ๐๐
โค Cindy โค
yeah – it's really hard to stop! ๐
๐ David ๐
What else would you do?
Count letters ๐
actually some forms do that! like this one:
https://poetscollective.org/poetryforms/atom-2/
I remember and I actually like this one! ๐
I find myself both counting syllables and checking rhyme.Better yet?
definitely better ๐
That was an american sentence,you know..p’raps I should post it?
why not?
With so much poetry led by syllables I’m sure you count them in your sleep.
โค Lauren โค – I must confess that you're right…
When I have nothing to say, what counts is the way that i don’t say it. ๐
CES – that’s perfectly put!
If it were eleven syllables, maybe. ๐
Shut my mouth
My muse has gone south
Cat took tongue
Another great American sentence.
โค Molly โค – thank you!
Lol, that is so sweet
And also awesome
The syllables run through your veins
โค Abi โค – thank you…
โฅโฅ
And every time you publish a new poem or sentence I am happy to read it. โค
โค Filipa โค – you're so kind.
-David
You know that I think with my โค.
๐