Allen Ginsberg | Victoria C. Slotto, Author

Driving South—brilliant orange flambeaux flank velvet blue—Topaz Lake’s smooth skin.
Two weeks later—brittle naked branches stretch, touch gray skies, gray water.

Photo: JohnandAileen.com

This short poetic form was the creation of Allen Ginsburg. He based it on the Japanese Haiku.
It consists of complete sentences made up of 17 syllables…as many sentences as you like.

This photo doesn’t compare with what I saw driving South on I-395. The trees were a bright cadmium orange on the way down, next to a glass-like aqua lake. I’m kicking myself for not stopping to take a photo.

I wasn’t able to participate when Gay Cannon posted this for Form for All at dVerse earlier this month, so this is what I’m bringing to the poets’ pub for Open Link Night. Hope to see you there.

Image via Wikipedia

March Desert
Form: American Sentences

Overnight, citrus trees explode in fragrant blossom, ravish our world.
Remnants of a nest lay empty in deep grass, spring promises: illusions.
March wind batters the garden; hummingbirds struggle to take in nectar.
Early morning birdsong. Crow caws—inviting silence. Hawk swoops in, kills.
Moon escapes behind a cloud, stars take center stage, the night holds her breath.
Sing of winter oranges, desert sun. Dance on mountains topped with snow.

This week I ordered a new book on poetry by Kim Addonizio: Ordinary Genius. In an early chapter, I encountered a form and prompt invented by poet Allen Ginsberg known as American Sentence. Inspired by the Japanese Haiku, three lines of 5-7-5 syllables, Ginsberg build this poetic form on the foundation of the sentence, but a sentence comprised of seventeen syllables.

For this week’s Write2Day, I’d like to throw out the American Sentence as a prompt that can reach out to either prose or poetry writers (or those who write both). For my poem, I’ve strung together six sentences on a single theme, all things I’ve experienced here in the desert in the last few days as the changing season defies all expectations.

Because I’m currently working under deadlines, I need to continue to budget my time spent blogging, so I’m also linking this to Open Link Night at dVerse Poets’ Pub where poets from all over our wonderful world meet to share a poem, friendship and cheer. Our talented host this week is Joseph Hesch. Come on in; you will not be disappointed.

If you would like to link to Write2Day:

• Post your poem or prose sentence, based on the prompt, on your own blog or website.
• Access Mr. Linky at the bottom of this post.
• Share your name and the direct URL to your post.
• Take time to visit and comment on other participant.

The link for dVerse is here. I hope you’ll join both prompts.