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The American Sentence

An American Sentence is basically a haiku. A thought in 17 syllables.

We raid summer gardens, warm tomatoes off the vine, then back to play.
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April said…
I love it. So simple, and I find myself imagining I was there too.
11:47 PM
Michael Dylan Welch said…
Well yes, an American Sentence IS a thought in 17 syllables, but that's not what a haiku is. A haiku doesn't need to be 5-7-5 in English (it's worth researching why), but more importantly, a literary haiku typically employs a season word (kigo in Japanese) and a two-part juxtapositional structure equivalent to using a cutting word (kireji in Japanese), in addition to primarily objective imagery. None of these strategies are present or necessary in American Sentences. So, in my opinion, no, an American Sentence isn't basically a haiku, although Allen Ginsberg was of course inspired by haiku when he invented the form.

I like your American Sentence, by the way.

Michael Dylan Welch
4:11 AM
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