100,000,000,000,000 poems

The acid tongue with gourmet's expertise
His nasal ecstasy beats best Cologne
Upon his old oak chest he cuts his cheese
One gathers rosebuds or grows old alone
They both are right not untamed mutterings
Nought can the mouse's timid nibbling stave
A daring baron pockets precious Mings
Thou homestead hillside woodland rock and cave
When dried the terrapin can naught express
One tongue will do to keep the verse agog
From cool Parnassus down to wild Loch Ness
We'll suffocate before the epilogue
Poor reader smile before your lips go numb
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.