The American sentence is a poetry form invented by Alan Ginsberg. It is similar to the classic haiku in that it has seventeen syllables. Instead of the syllables being divided into three lines of five, seven, and five, they are used to form a single sentence. As with haiku, there are variations in the form, but I have tried to create traditional sentences with an aphoristic flavor. Here are a few.
The difference between life and a life sentence can be small indeed.
A frog walks into a bar, and the bartender says, “Tell me a joke.”
I remember when I was young and everything seemed possible.
Blind partisanship is nothing but intellectual cowardice.
I suddenly realize I am old and wonder how it happened.
We forget the dark and cold of winter in the orgasm of summer.
Can poetry matter when beauty is measured in dollars and cents?
I light a candle against the darkness, but the damned wind blows it out.
When I listen to the news, I pour myself a drink and suck my thumb.
A stopped clock is correct twice a day which is more often than I am.
Age robs us of passion but kindly replaces it with affection.
It takes years, if ever, to know whether a decision was bad or good.
When Death knocks on my door, I plan to open it and say, “How goes it?”
I realize I am too innocent to thrive in such a cruel world.
What was so important when I was young has become irrelevant.
Life became easier once I admitted that I am a damned fool.
There is always one more son of a bitch out there than I realize.
If you stand me to a cold beer, I will tell you the truth about life.
A priest walks into a bar and simply orders a drink.
Living seven years for each of mine, my dog shows me the path ahead.
With my old dog sleeping at my feet, the world is more bearable.
I must admit to myself that I often don’t do life very well.
I begin each day with optimism and try to hold on to it.
Are thoughts of suicide merely self-indulgence or an escape plan?
With a notebook and pencil I am prepared to do my life’s work.
We are no more able to govern ourselves than the Ancient Greeks.
Always in the background is the sound of the Combine grinding us down.
I have come to see that knowledge is greatly different than wisdom.
Writing is nature’s way of showing how muddled your thinking is.
“Transubstantiation Wine and Bread Shop” would be a fine business name.
Sayings like this might sound clever but are not much help in getting through life.
Interesting how many apply to me and the fine business name made me laugh out loud
I like the restrictions for composing 17-syllable American sentences. I have been surprised at the insights that come from the exercise.
Thanks for the complement on the business name. I fantasize at times of finding another fool like me who would be willing to try putting together a radio program like the ones the great Bob and Ray used to do. In their programs they had sponsors like the Einbinder Flypaper Company. The Transubstantiation Wine and Bread Shop would be a sponsor for mine!