An American sentence:
She recalled weekly Friday ice cream outings with her father fondly.
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 
Aww best memories ever! ๐
๐จ๐๐ป Cindy ๐๐ป๐จ
I recall all outings with Father fondly!!
๐ค๐๐ป Lov ๐๐ป๐ค ~ you are lucky!
~David
And I recall our Sunday ice cream social with joy. (not an American sentence… oh well joy is joy)
๐ค๐๐ป Muri ๐๐ป๐ค
how do you know? did you ask her ?๐
past presence
not to know –
not even by heart
๐ค๐๐ป Barbara ๐๐ป๐ค
Sweet as sundaes on Fridays. ๐
๐๐๐ป CES ๐๐ป๐
Cone always
But I remember the cardboard containers with scoops of different icecream flavours, eaten with a tiny wooden spatulaโฆyummy too
Cherished memories
Never distant
Blissfully inscribed.
๐๐๐ป Abi ๐๐ป๐
A cup. Definitely a cup! You get much more ice cream that way and who doesn’t want more deliciousness in life?
๐๐๐ป Nancy ๐๐ป๐
Going for ice cream as a family is a wonderful childhood memory!
๐๐๐ป Annette ๐๐ป๐
Sweet. ๐ฅฐ
๐๐๐ป Sadje ๐๐ป๐
๐๐ผ