An American sentence:
Two homeless men quarrel over territory before onlookers.
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 🇮🇱 
How many times have I witnessed this scene in my life! Many.
💔🙏🏻 Susan 🙏🏻💔
The fragile minds and psyche play havoc and turn on each other sadly. It’s a travesty, David 🥲
💔🙏🏻 Cindy 🙏🏻💔
so much revealed in so few words ❤️
💝🙏🏻 Ange 🙏🏻💝 ~ thank you
A situation that is sad, but probably all too common! Unfortunately, most communities seem to have homeless people. Your post captures the pathos so well!
💓🙏🏻 Cheryl 🙏🏻💓 ~ thank you
Powerful! ❤️❤️❤️
💞🙏🏻 Filipa 🙏🏻💞 ~ and true to life
Indeed, David! 🩷
A sad state. It is happening all over. We had two men fight over a corner where they often panhandle – one ended up in the hospital and the other in jail…
💝🙏🏻 Muri 🙏🏻💝 ~ exactly!
How sad and how human. The urge to defend one’s territory, even without owning it, or having rights to it, except perhaps possession, is hardwired into us.
💜🙏🏻 Karima 🙏🏻💜 ~ for sure
With his land, Man
Has not learned to use his resources wisely
Now they are fighting
❤️🙏🏻 Abi 🙏🏻❤️ ~ sadly so
❤❤
Truly American.
🧡🙏🏻 Melissa 🙏🏻🧡 ~ not only