Nancy Culmone

The American Sentence

Seventeen syllables

comprise an American Sentence

like this!

The sentence looks into the mirror

and sees there

an awkward haiku.

We needn’t feel left out

that we’re not Japanese

since we have this form.

Old Japanese haiku masters

on their death beds

still count syllables.

It’s hard to count syllables

without letting your fingers dance

the count.

jch May 2024