Alphonse Allais (October 20, 1854 - October 28, 1905) was a French writer and humorist, born in Honfleur, Calvados.

He is the author of many collections of whimsical writings. A poet as much as a humorist, he in particular cultivated the verse form known as holorhyme, i.e. made up entirely of homophonous verses, where entire lines rhyme. For example:

par les bois du djinn où s'entasse de l'effroi,

parle et bois du gin ou cent tasses de lait froid.

Principal works

• À se tordre (literally To Twist), 1891
• Vive la vie!, 1892
• Deux et deux font cinq, 1895
• Amours, délices et orgues, 1898
• Ne nous frappons pas (literally We Do Not Strike), 1900

fr:Alphonse Allais