Tag Archives: Lipogram

Quillfyre’s #Oulipost 2 Lipogram

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Ouliposter-Badge-Plum-300x300Oulipost #2: Lipogram (Newspaper Titles)

A lipogram is a text that excludes one or more letters of the alphabet. The ingenuity demanded by the restriction varies in proportion to the frequency of the letter or letters excluded. For this initial exercise, you will compose a poem using only words that can be formed from letters that are NOT found in the title of your newspaper. For example, if you are working with the Washington Post, you must avoid using words that contain the letters A, G, H, I, N, O, P, S, T and W. Le-Lionnais-300x300

Why oh why, did I choose The Ottawa Citizen?  I have only one vowel, the u, available, and perhaps y.  Fortunately, one of the participants is a whiz at building word compiler tools, but not sure this prompt is workable with so few vowels. Need Christian Bök just now… However, I gave myself the luxury of titling without constraint

Senator Goes to Market

FUNDS!!!

Buy funds
Run up, up, up, up–

Surplus.

Surplus jump:
Run—
Up up up.
Fully fund
Duffy.

Carol A. Stephen

Sources:

SOURCES: Ottawa Citizen Digital April 2, 2014

  • Press, Jordan, Harper-appointed senator argues against his plan for elected chamber
  • Berthiaume, Lee & Press, Jordan, Investigation report clears Sen. Colin Kenny of harassment
  • Shecter, Barbara Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan posts first surplus in 10 years
  • Quebec’s forgotten region, By Ottawa Citizen Editorial, Ottawa Citizen

·         Reevely, David Provincial Tories blow lid off Liberals’ budget plans

 

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Day 24 Na PoWriMo Write a Lipogram

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Day 24 NaPoWriMo says: “Today’s prompt is a bit of a doozy . . . so if you feel like you don’t have it in you, feel free, as always, to take a pass! Today’s challenge is a lipogram/Beautiful Outlaw/Beautiful In-Law. A lipogram is a poem that explicitly refrains from using certain letters. The most classic letter to swear off, at least for English speakers, is “e.” A Beautiful Outlaw is a variation on a lipogram, wherein you refrain from using any of the letters in a certain name. For example, if you chose the name Sarah, then you could not use s, a, r, or h. A Beautiful In-Law is another variant, wherein you only use the letters in a certain name (better pick a long name!)
You might think that any lipogram would end up having to be short, but some people have been successful at virtuoso performances in this vein — check out this excerpt from Christian Bök’s Eunoia, in which he uses no vowels except i. It goes on for nine pages!”

I guess the weather has got me down a bit, still cold although the sun,as it sets, is at its brightest so far today.  Still, the day made me think of storms and cold.

So for the prompt, I chose not to use the letter “i”.  Here’s my effort.

That Sort of a Day

A vacant acorn husk
spawns dream of tree, the oak
drops seed on ground to feed

Acorn hoarded by Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn hoarded by Acorn Woodpecker (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

woodpeckers and jays as they watch for the soak
of groundwater under trees that tease
yellows and reds to dance under

the faffer of breeze, scuddy weather
set free today the greys and blues of sky.

A storm comes on, then gone before
wet drops reach the lawn.
Today the best place to be

a warm bed or curled upon
the sofa where a fat furry cat
warms the soles of cold feet.

Carol A. Stephen
April 24, 2012