100,000,000,000,000 poems

The marble tomb gapes wide with jangling keys
When masons clutch the breath we held on loan
The understanding critic firstly sees
One gathers rosebuds or grows old alone
Old Galileo's Pisan offerings
With sombre thoughts they grimly line the nave
The fertile mother changelings drops like kings
Thou homestead hillside woodland rock and cave
Staunch pilgrims longest journeys can't depress
With quill white-collared through his life will jog
While homeward thirsts to each quenched glass say yes
Their sculptors did our best our hulks the clog
Poor reader smile before your lips go numb
The bell tolls fee-less fi-less fo-less fum


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.