Misfortunes

Posted by September Blue Sunday 25 November 2007

Best out-of-context snippet of academic prose this month, yes/no?

To an accumulation of misfortunes within regular stanza length, another line,and misfortune, are added.

I've been reading it and re-reading it for eight minutes. I'm hypnotised. Maybe the flu* has something to do with that, but I maintain there's a strange and fragile beauty in this line.

ETA: WAIT, no. This one wins the much more prestigious 'holy hell, did I just READ that?' award:

[A] spirited Negro version of Lady Isabel and the Elf-Knight from Texas is not injured as a ballad because the narrative is turned, according to a common habit with the coloured race, into direct discourse.

...well. That'll stop you falling asleep at work, flu or no flu.

* - It's probably a cold, but I'm upgrading it to flu for the sympathy vote and to stress the fact that I have been ill for a week. I do not get ill for a week. One of the benefits of spending half my childhood in hospitals was developing the immune system of a Cylon, for heaven's sake. I really resent this, and so 'flu' it is.

2 comments

  1. Autumn Song Says:
  2. Wow. The first one is brilliant. Just brilliant. I can see why you're hypnotised. Am I right in thinking this is not from a modern critical text?

     
  3. Laz Says:
  4. Ehh...?

    You can explain over noodles and stuff when I see you. Bring notes, cos I ain't never gonna recollect that. I'm tired and hungry and why am I watching Air Crash Investigations? That's better, some DS9. Ohh, Garak, I like him...

    [is faint with tiredness and hunger, see above]

    I need some chicken chili ramen STAT!