100,000,000,000,000 poems

The acid tongue with gourmet's expertise
The answer is they could be twins full-grown
The understanding critic firstly sees
Which neither time nor tide can long postpone
And yet 'twas he the beggar Fate just flings
Filching the lolly country thrift helped save
The fertile mother changelings drops like kings
In purest cradels tha's how they behave
Poetic licence needs no strain or stress
One tongue will do to keep the verse agog
On wheels the tourist follows hos hostess
Their sculptors did our best our hulks the clog
With marble souvenirs then fill a slum
And lessors' dates have all too short a sum


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.