Three American Sentences in 12 words:
I. #merit
I have #merit like you. I must satisfy myself that it’s deserved.
II. #palm
I… just can’t fathom innumerable lives in the #palm of one’s hand.
III. #halt
Screaming, “#Halt!” on a busy street corner will only draw annoyed eyes.
What’s an ‘American Sentence’?
Allen Ginsberg, inventor of the American Sentence, felt that the haiku didn’t 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 🇮🇱 
Nice 👍 Davidee..🤗
💞 Yassy 💞
You’ve mastered the number 17 David, the American Sentence becomes you
But then so does various forms of verse writing.
There was a time i was obsessed with the palm of my hand, still love my road map
❤ thanks, Abi ❤
There was a time I was obsessed with gazing at my navel… actually… I still am!
😂😂
Not a bad meditative pastime at all
I’ve come to appreciate your American Sentences more with each posting. Either they are growing on me or your technique is honed to a fine point… Nonetheless these are good!!
💙💝 Muri 💙💝
thanks for liking my post. I just read some of your stuff and it’s great. Following you now.
💛 Matt 💛 ~ thanks! If you are interested, I’ve published some tips for new bloggers here:
Take care,
David
Thanks, David, for american sentences that #inspire lunes by a fellow with no Twitter account. 🙂
Smokey Bear’s
flint and steel consumes
merit badge
Son of bitch
Falling from ass
Palm Sunday
Mute orphan
with bloody finger writes
“Halt!” on tank
oooooh…. that last one, CES ~ damn, that’s intense!
That’s putting it mildly, David. I’ll try to curb my intensity. 🙂
No, don’t ❣️
That’s putting it strongly. 🙂
💜
Soul searching, self seeking, objective found; merit. I knew you were there.
🤗 Robert 🤗
I agree with kenhume79, David ❤️
🙏🏻 Jane 🙏🏻
Thank you, David ❤️
Great Americn sentences David! Bravo! 👌🏻❤ I love the three of them but I guess the second one is my favourite.
🤍 Filipa 🤍
Indeed, we all have merit David! 👍😁 And yes, very difficult to fathom such power and responsibility and how we would use it! 🤔😮
❤ 🙂 Ken ❤ 🙂