Table of FormsUnivocalic
A univocalic poem is a particular type of lipogram: a poem excluding all but one of the vowels. Published examples include George Perecs Les Reventes (1972) translated as The Exeter Text: Jewels, Secrets, Sex (1996) (translated by Ian Monk).
"Deep Dentelle screened, the seven green Mercedes Benzes resembled pestered sheep. They descended West End Street, swerved left, entered Temple Street then swept between the green vennels beeches, elms n elders. These trees enkernelled Exeters Sees svelte, yet nevertheless erect, steeples." (Exeter Text excerpt)
Another famous univocalic poem is Lord Hollands Eves Legend:
"Men were never perfect; yet the three brethren Veres were ever esteemed, respected, revered, even when the rest, whether the select few, whether the mere herd, were left neglected." (Eve's Legend excerpt)
And the most striking example would have to be the book Eunoia, by Christian Bök.
Analogous forms might include a polyphone, a poem using only one vowel sound, regardless of which letters are used to represent it
Oh! John don't go to Kosovo (Newspoem 17 March 1999): a progressively (abecedarian) univocalic poem, in which each line is univocalic on the vowel that follows in the alphabet the vowel used in the previous line. This poem is also a six vowel serial poem using heavy stuttering. Furthermore it is also a number poem, comprising two stanzas each comprising six six-word lines.
Table of Forms Forms Order the Book Contents Bibliography Spineless Books Dominique Fitzpatrick-O'Dinn
© 1996-2007 Spineless Books