“A Year In American Sentences”

“A Year In American Sentences”

Allen Ginsberg, 1926-1997, is one of our most prolific poets. He is credited with

creating the American Sentence. “To see void vast infinite look out the window into the blue sky.” Source: Lit finder-Poem Finder.)

The seventeen syllable sentence is becoming an American pop response to the ancient Japanese haiku. Allen Ginsberg in one of his more playful moods developed the American sentence as an evolution of haiku. By expanding the haiku to realms other than nature and changing its structure from three lines of five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables; to one sentence of seventeen syllables with the syllables falling in random order, Ginsberg Americanized the haiku.

The goal of each form is to paint with words an unforgettable image. An especially well crafted poem is worth a thousand pictures. The expanded American sentence has the opportunity to become popular with a wider non-poetic audience. And this opens the possibility of bringing the reader into contact with a larger variety of poetry later on.

With this in mind I wrote:

“A Year In American Sentences”

Glitter floats everywhere as January shakes snowflakes from the stars.

Captivating February, magical month of icicle dreams.

The first taste of March, melting snow and late-worms escaping robin’s lunch.

Spring’s awakening of Mother Earth, an early sign of April’s worth.

Trees full of blossom clusters and flying blue jays are born again May.

June is the month for lovers, chaining themselves forever together.

Summer sparkles apricot yellow in July’s butterfly play ground.

Lazy crazy days of August sprouts barefoot boys with no time for books.

Glow of summer fades as September rings in the music of autumn.

Fire and orange leaves are treats for artist eyes and October’s sweet surprise.

November snowflakes, like angel wing feathers, brew magic in the night.

Santa Claus circles the snowman sentry standing guard in the moon’s glow.

Gerald A. McBreen

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