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The marble tomb gapes wide with jangling keys
Since Elgin left his nostrils in the stone
He bent right down and well what did he seize
Which neither time nor tide can long postpone
And yet 'twas he the beggar Fate just flings
With sombre thoughts they grimly line the nave
He's gone to London how the echo rings
Victorious worms grind all into the grave
Emboggled minds may puff and blow and guess
A bird-brain banquet melts bold Mistress Mog
The colonel's still escutcheoned in undress
Southern baroque's seductive dialogue
Poor reader smile before your lips go numb
They're kings we're mammal-cousins hi ho hum


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.