100,000,000,000,000 poems

At snuff no Cornish sailorman would sneeze
When masons clutch the breath we held on loan
The understanding critic firstly sees
Which neither time nor tide can long postpone
How it suprised us pale grey underlings
The North Wind Bites into his architrave
Such merchandise a melancholy brings
Victorious worms grind all into the grave
Poetic licence needs no strain or stress
A piercint wit would sprightliest horses flog
And played their mountain croquet jungle chess
Southern baroque's seductive dialogue
Do bank clerks rule their abacus by thumb
yet from the City's pie pulled not one plum


Raymond Queneau

Translation to English by Stanley Chapman
found in "Oulipo Compendium"
Atlas 1998, ISBN 0-947757-96-1

Idea and implementation by Magnus Bodin 1997
Produced in the wonderful country of Sweden.