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From playboy Chance the nymph no longer flees
His exaltation shocked both youth and crone
Her native chauffeur waited in the breeze
'Ere meanings new to ancient tribes are thrown
How it suprised us pale grey underlings
Whose ocean still-born herrings madly brave
In salads all chew grubs before they've wings
Etruscan words which Greece and Rome engrave
Emboggled minds may puff and blow and guess
And starve the sniveling baby like a dog
While homeward thirsts to each quenched glass say yes
Whiskey will always wake an Irish bog
Do bank clerks rule their abacus by thumb
In cognac brandy is Bacardi rum?


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.