Monday, June 12, 2006

The City of Oooo (Blind Atlas)

Travellers in the Holy realms of fiction will recall the sad events resulting from a gang of pirates' attempts to banish all use of the letter 'O' from a particular Island. Those of you who do not recall this should run not walk to the nearest copy of James Thurber's 'The Wonderful "O" ' which is usually to be found with his 'The 13 Clocks'. [Get 'The White Deer' while you're at it if you can.]

What is less well known is that by a process of narrative causation the disappearances of the 'Oooo's from the Isle of R, resulted also in the temporary appearance of a City composed entirely of 'O' words. I had the good fortune to be travelling in, the Outer Orient and observe the Obviously Opportune Outflowing of Oooo. I find I jotted these notes at the time:


Oooo!

Oh, orchards of oak, orbiting olfactory oceans of oleanders. Oh, ominous outskirts
outlie ombre, obsidian or oolite obelisks. Onward, one ogles opal, ormolu or onyx oast-houses obviously objuring overdone or overdelicate ostentation. On older oppressive outcroppings Oooo's obconical, obcordate observatories obviate obtuse or obstinate occupants. Oooo's Outer Offertory (obviously octagonal, octopus oesophagi, odgdoad omphalos of orachalc) opens oestrus of Old Ones. Oddly, odaliques observe obscene obsequies only on others' orders. Often orgies occur: oarsmen, ostlers, or onlookers oust oystermongers, open ormers, oyez operatic outpourings on oligarchs, ochlocrats, or officiously obscuristic orthoepic oghamists. Openly ordinands offered obeah, objet d'art, or obol, oafishly obtain oily oases of oloroso odoured oblivion on overindulging, ochone odious odes of offhand offertory or orisons. Oblates obliged or obviated (obliquely obedient) offer ostentatious ostensory overlooking older overseers' orphried outrages. Outside offensive oboes, ocarinas, ophicleides, orchestrate ostinarto octaves. Occam's observation, Oooo outlandishly obverts openly organising outrageous occult occurances outwith obligatory obviousity. Ochre oriflammes otherwise objectively otiose (orpiment-ornamented) orientated outwards originate on osmium orreries. Other oddities: ortilan on oryx (or okapi) obtain outreach of ospreys. Onagers obey obscure ordinances Orwellian or otherwise oppressive. Only optants opting out of Oooo, obtain omission of Oooo's ominious omerta. Only outside other O-less openings occur. Openly omitting Os once, only occassions obliquey, often offending: one's omega - osseus olm occupied oubliettes.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I tried that with the letter M once (for a tongue twister assignment in school) - the furthest I got was: Many Mighty Meteors Menace Mars. But I was going to write heaps.

You on the other hand didn't have to but just did it for the fun of it.

Site Owner said...

Putting Occam's razor in inverted commas was a bit of a cheat though.
I may return to this for a second draft later today.

I enjoyed doing it and learned several new words (ochoning and orpiment being two).

Philip said...

Outstanding. Observant. Original.

I may return to this for a second draft later today.

You might want to fix "oarsmen and onlookers" if you do...

Anonymous said...

which reminds me, I have to look up oast-house; oyez; obol; ophicleides but most especially Oriflammes and ochlocrats.

I have being a long time Solomon Kane fan to thank for knowing what obeah means.

"Occam's opinion outlandishly obverted..." works just as well plus replacing "and" with an ampersand would fix that problem.

Site Owner said...

I've fixed the few 'first draft' things and added some more, I did uit before reading your second post so I haven't ignored or rejected your suggestions just reached the same "outcome obliquely".

Cheers

Simon

Anonymous said...

The things geniuses do for entertainment oft boggles.

Head hurt now. Small brain. Oh noze!

SAF said...

Outstanding oratory occasions ovation.

Oxtremely oducational.

It's no good, I've lost it.

Oops.

Unknown said...

Ouch!

Anonymous said...

never doubted it for a second.