Eunoia is the shortest word in English containing all five vowels - and it means "beautiful thinking". It is also the title of Canadian poet Christian Bok's book of fiction in which each chapter uses only one vowel.
Eunoia is the shortest word in English containing all five vowels - and it means "beautiful thinking". It is also the title of Canadian poet Christian Bok's book of fiction in which each chapter uses only one vowel.
Mr Bok believes his book proves that each vowel has its own personality, and demonstrates the flexibility of the English language. Below are extracts from each chapter.
Mr Bok believes his book proves that each vowel has its own personality, and demonstrates the flexibility of the English language. Below are extracts from each chapter.
from CHAPTER A - FOR HANS ARP
from CHAPTER A - FOR HANS ARP
Hassan Abd al-Hassad, an Agha Khan, basks at an ashram - a Taj Mahal that has grand parks and grass lawns, all as vast as parklands at Alhambra and Valhalla. Hassan can, at a handclap, call a vassal at hand and ask that all staff plan a bacchanal - a gala ball that has what pagan charm small galas lack. Hassan claps, and (tah-dah) an Arab lass at a swank spa can draw a man's bath and wash a man's back, as Arab lads fawn and hang, athwart an altar, amaranth garlands as fragrant as attar - a balm that calms all angst. A dwarf can flap a palm branch that fans a fat maharajah. A naphtha lamp can cast a calm warmth.
Hassan Abd al-Hassad, an Agha Khan, basks at an ashram - a Taj Mahal that has grand parks and grass lawns, all as vast as parklands at Alhambra and Valhalla. Hassan can, at a handclap, call a vassal at hand and ask that all staff plan a bacchanal - a gala ball that has what pagan charm small galas lack. Hassan claps, and (tah-dah) an Arab lass at a swank spa can draw a man's bath and wash a man's back, as Arab lads fawn and hang, athwart an altar, amaranth garlands as fragrant as attar - a balm that calms all angst. A dwarf can flap a palm branch that fans a fat maharajah. A naphtha lamp can cast a calm warmth.
from CHAPTER E - FOR RENE CREVEL
from CHAPTER E - FOR RENE CREVEL
Westerners revere the Greek legends. Versemen retell the represented events, the resplendent scenes, where, hellbent, the Greek freemen seek revenge whenever Helen, the new-wed empress, weeps. Restless, she deserts her fleece bed where, detested, her wedded regent sleeps. When she remembers Greece, her seceded demesne, she feels wretched, left here, bereft, her needs never met. She needs rest; nevertheless, her demented fevers render her sleepless (her sleeplessness enfeebles her). She needs help; nevertheless her stressed nerves render her cheerless (her cheerlessness enfetters her).
Westerners revere the Greek legends. Versemen retell the represented events, the resplendent scenes, where, hellbent, the Greek freemen seek revenge whenever Helen, the new-wed empress, weeps. Restless, she deserts her fleece bed where, detested, her wedded regent sleeps. When she remembers Greece, her seceded demesne, she feels wretched, left here, bereft, her needs never met. She needs rest; nevertheless, her demented fevers render her sleepless (her sleeplessness enfeebles her). She needs help; nevertheless her stressed nerves render her cheerless (her cheerlessness enfetters her).
from CHAPTER I - FOR DICK HIGGINS
from CHAPTER I - FOR DICK HIGGINS
Hiking in British districts, I picnic in virgin firths, grinning in mirth with misfit whims, smiling if I find birch twigs, smirking if I find mint sprigs. Midspring brings with it singing birds, six kinds, (finch, siskin, ibis, tit, pipit, swift), whistling shrill chirps, trilling chirr chirr in high pitch. Kingbirds flit in gliding flight, skimming limpid springs, dipping wingtips in rills which brim with living things: krill, shrimp, brill - fish with gilt fins, which swim in flitting zigs. Might Virgil find bliss implicit in this primitivism? Might I mimic him in print if I find his writings inspiring?
Hiking in British districts, I picnic in virgin firths, grinning in mirth with misfit whims, smiling if I find birch twigs, smirking if I find mint sprigs. Midspring brings with it singing birds, six kinds, (finch, siskin, ibis, tit, pipit, swift), whistling shrill chirps, trilling chirr chirr in high pitch. Kingbirds flit in gliding flight, skimming limpid springs, dipping wingtips in rills which brim with living things: krill, shrimp, brill - fish with gilt fins, which swim in flitting zigs. Might Virgil find bliss implicit in this primitivism? Might I mimic him in print if I find his writings inspiring?
from CHAPTER O - FOR YOKO ONO
from CHAPTER O - FOR YOKO ONO
Loops on bold fonts now form lots of words for books. Books form cocoons of comfort - tombs to hold bookworms. Profs from Oxford show frosh who do post-docs how to gloss works of Wordsworth. Dons who work for proctors or provosts do not fob off school to work on crosswords, nor do dons go off to dorm rooms to loll on cots. Dons go crosstown to look for bookshops known to stock lots of top-notch goods: cookbooks, workbooks - room on room of how-to-books for jocks (how to jog, how to box), books on pro sports: golf or polo. Old colophons on schoolbooks from schoolrooms sport two sorts of logo: oblong whorls, rococo scrolls - both on worn morocco.
Loops on bold fonts now form lots of words for books. Books form cocoons of comfort - tombs to hold bookworms. Profs from Oxford show frosh who do post-docs how to gloss works of Wordsworth. Dons who work for proctors or provosts do not fob off school to work on crosswords, nor do dons go off to dorm rooms to loll on cots. Dons go crosstown to look for bookshops known to stock lots of top-notch goods: cookbooks, workbooks - room on room of how-to-books for jocks (how to jog, how to box), books on pro sports: golf or polo. Old colophons on schoolbooks from schoolrooms sport two sorts of logo: oblong whorls, rococo scrolls - both on worn morocco.
from CHAPTER U - FOR ZHU YU
from CHAPTER U - FOR ZHU YU
Gulls churr: ululu, ululu. Ducks cluck. Bulls plus bucks run thru buckbrush; thus dun burrs clutch fur tufts. Ursus cubs plus Lupus pups hunt skunks. Curs skulk (such mutts lurk: ruff, ruff). Gnus munch kudzu. Lush shrubs bud; thus church nuns pluck uncut mums. Bugs hum: buzz, buzz. Dull susurrus gusts murmur hushful, humdrum murmurs: hush, hush. Dusk suns blush. Surf lulls us. Such scuds hurl up cumulus suds (Sturm und Druck) - furls unfurl: rush, rush; curls uncurl: gush, gush. Such tumult upturns unsunk hulls; thus gulfs crush us, gulp, dunk us - burst lungs succumb.
Gulls churr: ululu, ululu. Ducks cluck. Bulls plus bucks run thru buckbrush; thus dun burrs clutch fur tufts. Ursus cubs plus Lupus pups hunt skunks. Curs skulk (such mutts lurk: ruff, ruff). Gnus munch kudzu. Lush shrubs bud; thus church nuns pluck uncut mums. Bugs hum: buzz, buzz. Dull susurrus gusts murmur hushful, humdrum murmurs: hush, hush. Dusk suns blush. Surf lulls us. Such scuds hurl up cumulus suds (Sturm und Druck) - furls unfurl: rush, rush; curls uncurl: gush, gush. Such tumult upturns unsunk hulls; thus gulfs crush us, gulp, dunk us - burst lungs succumb.
Can you write using only one vowel? Email us your attempts using the form at the bottom of the page.
Can you write using only one vowel? Email us your attempts using the form at the bottom of the page.
I think this is gimmicky!Katherine, Arizona, USA
A Lancs man asks "Can that mad, bad, Yank MacCain catch Barack?" Lancs Man says Yanks want Barack? Fab!Mike W, Lancashire
Prhps hs nxt ffrt wll b nthng bt cnsnnts!!Gordon Knight, Boldre, New Forest
Expends excess weeks, never sleeps, yet renders wretched verse. Geek! Ian , Glasgow, Scotland
Wild high wind - vivid spirit,Zips, licks.I wish, wish it stillI sigh, will it lift,shift?Wild high windlilts, tilts, kills.Eileen Tiffin de Quadra, Newcastle upon Tyne
A far away star gasps gas.BANG,Crash,...sparks..Star fallsAlas warmth pastAlarmMan gaspsGagsMan falls"Mam Dad Why??"Phil Harris, London England
Every sheep relent ! Seven enter where'er three entrench. Ten express envy. Better repent eh ? Very deep....James Upton, London
Why eke verse when these verses deserve temper? He needs help even when he's clever. He renders me bereft, needy. He spends me pretty well. Bye bye energy. Better flee, perplexed!Sebastian Hickey, Dublin, Ireland
Why eke verse when these verses deserve temper? He needs help even when he's clever. He renders me bereft, needy. He spends me pretty well. Bye bye energy. Better flee, perplexed!Sebastian Hickey, Dublin, Ireland
Dull. Dull, ugly, uck:Tumult upturns, hurls, bursts,Curbs plush hush,Dull murmur gusts -Humdrum duck clucks thus. Laura Redfern, Conwy, Wales
Owls howl from lofty woods. No moon shows. Crows look coldly. No worms, no food, only gloom.Ed, UK
...his gift is instilling illicit instincts in I!!Jayne, Prestatyn, Wales
Efrem revered the verseHe cleverly kept jestsEschewExpelledPetty pretences he etchedRhyme heckles the styleWretchedTetheredBereft; regrets refresh exciteEden thy sleep swells decryGH, Carrickfergus
Efrem revered the verseHe cleverly kept jestsEschewExpelledPetty pretences he etchedRhyme heckles the styleWretchedTetheredBereft; regrets refresh exciteEden thy sleep swells decryGH, Carrickfergus
I think this is slightly silly!Michael Phillips, Southsea, England
I think this is slightly silly!Michael Phillips, Southsea, England
Brand - What a scandal! A daft prat! Sad, mad Brand. Sack!Ross - No good! Fool. Clot. Stop Ross's work. Show Ross door. Bog off, Ross!Susan Harvey, London
Brand - What a scandal! A daft prat! Sad, mad Brand. Sack!Ross - No good! Fool. Clot. Stop Ross's work. Show Ross door. Bog off, Ross!Susan Harvey, London
To 'show off'; wordworm snoot who jots down words of Wordsworth or Byron by lots of solo o's on show.Martin Boronte, London, UK
To 'show off'; wordworm snoot who jots down words of Wordsworth or Byron by lots of solo o's on show.Martin Boronte, London, UK
Yes! Here we see English text expressed ever freer. Letters re-dressed, remember French seer?Marko B, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Yes! Here we see English text expressed ever freer. Letters re-dressed, remember French seer?Marko B, Leeds, Yorkshire.
Yes, very clever: yet empty. He expended energy yet he vexes deeply. Berk!John Dudley, London
Yes, very clever: yet empty. He expended energy yet he vexes deeply. Berk!John Dudley, London
Pop, pop, chop, chop, strop. Go on to work off lots of knots. Do not stop. Do not! Marie, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Pop, pop, chop, chop, strop. Go on to work off lots of knots. Do not stop. Do not! Marie, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Happy happy day...that day, my man had a way, had a play, had a stay....ah, that day! Laura, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Happy happy day...that day, my man had a way, had a play, had a stay....ah, that day! Laura, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Fiddly, I find. Still, I didn't shirk. I didn't quit. This fits - it's right. I think it did it.Jon Wallis, Bristol, UK
Fiddly, I find. Still, I didn't shirk. I didn't quit. This fits - it's right. I think it did it.Jon Wallis, Bristol, UK
An arrant grab-bag; a bland, flat mass. Appals as far as charms. Alas, Art! That many days a man can scratch hard, and halt at that tat. That man wants a slap.CRC, "Cantab"
An arrant grab-bag; a bland, flat mass. Appals as far as charms. Alas, Art! That many days a man can scratch hard, and halt at that tat. That man wants a slap.CRC, "Cantab"
John won't borrow Bok's book - too bloody wordy! Only O's? Noooooo!John W, Sheffield
John won't borrow Bok's book - too bloody wordy! Only O's? Noooooo!John W, Sheffield
No con do !!Roy McCallum, Whitley Bay
No con do !!Roy McCallum, Whitley Bay
I'm finding this print is inspiring thinking girls in writing distinct strings.Pauline Hobby, Lyndhurst Hampshire
Try my rhythm, my hymn... my mythAnthony Pont, Uckfield, UK
A dry land, flat and sandy. Sahara. Man can´t stand that warmth. Man lacks brawn and brass. Damp lands: man has a ball. Sand and warmth man can´t stand.Caroline Thompson, Barcelona, Spain
I like this. Timing is implicit in it's intrinsic thinking. It sings it's vivid insight in whistling lips.Sally Hughes, Grundisburgh
