T is for ... TAUTOGRAM

Tweet

So today is the 23rd of April, which must mean that it's the twentieth day of the A to Z challenge.  I've decided to share my love of writing through this challenge, and hopefully introduce people to the world of Oulipo.  I first heard about Oulipo when I was at university, and I was fascinated by their approach to writing that I decided to delve deeper into the world of experimental writing.

In a nutshell, this group of writers likes to assign constraints to their work in order to push creative boundaries.  Not only is this fun to do (the process of writing something with a constraint really does open the mind), the results are brilliant.



*****

T is for ... TAUTOGRAM

"A text whose words, or at least the principal ones, all begin with the same letter." 

Oulipo Compendium ed. Harry Matthews & Alastiar Brotchie (London: Atlas Press, 2005) page 231.

*****

Don't read this out loud; it's a bit of a tongue-twister!



Arnold

Arnold, an architect, approachable, always amiable attire, amicable attitude.  An affordable address at Alabaster Avenue.  An accommodation amply adorned; ancient African artefacts and abstract articles attained at art auctions.  Arnold acted as administrator at Abel Architecture Association.  Always awake and attentive, awaiting academics after apartment amendments and adjustments.  An answeringmachine assembled at agency, angry amber Aldebaran, an alarm appearing as an alternating apparition, awaiting attention.

An August afternoon, Arnold aches after accelerated aerobics alongside another associate, astonishingly active and agèd.  Aspirational, Arnold applied all ardour and attempted acrobatics at Artichoke Ahletics Arena.  Arrogant arseholes arrived around, acting apelike, augmented abdominals, assuming attractiveness.  An aerobics assistant aided Arnold at all activities and Arnold adored all approaches. After an awkward accident, Arnold aggressively attacked apparatus and arm abrasions appeared.  Arnold altered.  Arnold abhorred all actions and ambled away.

Answeringmachine alive and awake.  Arnold approaching anthropolgical absence; anxious, atrabilious.  At an arched abutment aquarelle, Arnold averted attentions.  An aeroplane advanced across Arnold’s augen.  Arnold avoided actual answeringmachine.  Arnold, aware as Alderbaran always aflame, anticipated argumentative askers acquiring answers.  Arnold appreciated all askers, as all aspire advice, although Arnold abominated aiding again and again.  Arnold, altruistic and apathetic, an abstraction about another atlas and atmosphere absorbed Arnold’s attention.  Away.  Alone.  Absent. 

Arnold absconded, aseity at armslength.  Alcohol abundantly absorbed, Arnold’s azygous, almost ataxic.  All’s awry as Arnold’s astray, adrift.  An autoroute appears appealing; an adventure almost.  Automobiles ambulate apace.

Astatically ascending an archway, anonymously Arnold awaits angels.