100,000,000,000,000 poems

The acid tongue with gourmet's expertise
For tea cucumber sandwiches a scone
Replies like this the dumbstruck brain may tease
Normal one aims to be and share the throne
The frisian Isles my friends are cherised things
Whose ocean still-born herrings madly brave
They both are right not unformed smatterings
For burning bushes never fish forgave
It's no good rich men crying Heaven Bless
Or grinning like a pale-faced golliwog
And played their mountain croquet jungle chess
Bard I adore your endless monologue
Where no one bothered how one warmed one's bum
For Europe's glory while Fate's harpies strum


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.