I thank everyone in the Clamor who sent email in addition to their votes to keep Clippings going. Obviously the YESs prevailed. Don’t feel, because of the poll, that I was fishing for more interaction—there was no hidden agenda—though I’ll admit I love receiving suggestions and comments. Based on your email, it’s possible I will move to a twice-weekly format. Otherwise I hope to expand Katexic to include some other features/ventures over the next year.
I also greatly appreciate your sharing Clippings with others who have not yet had the pleasure of subscribing. Onward.
WORK
inside a bat’s ear
a rose
opens to a star
—Eve Luckring
—from The Disjunctive Dragonfly
WORD(S)
myrmidon /MəR-mu-dən/. noun. In Greek myth, a member of the warrior tribe who accompanied Achilles to Troy. In more common use, a bodyguard, an assistant, a servant. A member of a posse, a gang-member, a ruffian, a hired thug who follows any order without question. Most broadly, a hanger-on, an opportunist. From Latin Myrmidones/Greek Myrmidones (the tribe), possibly derived from Greek mormos (dread, terror).
“Erskine-Brown and a Mr Thrower, his sedate solicitor, found the Kitten-A-Go-Go, paid a sinister-looking myrmidon at the door ten quid each by way of membership and descended to a damp and darkened basement where two young ladies were chewing gum and removing their clothes with as much enthusiasm as they might bring to the task of licking envelopes.” (John Mortimer)
“The King made a sign and the sages heard the iron step of the myrmidons that surrounded them at the foot of the throne, and whose naked swords did gleam like flame.” (Stanislaw Lem)
“…I would die in this bed as if paralyzed, or be shot to death here on this pillow by the tireless myrmidons whose eyes miss nothing.” (Heinrich Böll)
“She smiles. He sees upside down her mouth, with lips pressed shut, flex like a myrmidon’s small-bow being drawn…” (John Banville)
“No, Arthur, no, it is not so; I am now one of the myrmidons of that most special of special pleaders, Mr. Neversaye Die. I have given myself over to the glories of a horse-hair wig…” (Anthony Trollope)
WEB
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PetaPixel’s 20 First Photos from the History of Photography
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He did a lot more than dingbats… → Hermann Zapf, the font designer behind Palatino and Zapf Dingbats, has died at 96
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If conely Crossed chadd szuch a hing. → Try an online rhyming keyboard
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Jorge Luis Borges Selects 74 Books for Your Personal Library
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Today in 1977, Roy Cleveland Sullivan (aka “The Human Lightning Rod”) is struck by lightning for the 7th time. And survives. Previous strikes lit Sullivan’s hair on fire (twice), blew his big toe-nail off, knocked a shoe off and pierced his hat, shoulder and a leg in addition to the “usual” burns.
WATCH/WITNESS
Learn more about (and see other great pictures of) Lena Pillars National Park AKA Lena’s Stone Forest, outside of Yakutsk, Russia. Also, the UNESCO World Heritage Center Gallery.
REPRISES/RESPONSES/REJOINDERS/RIPOSTES
- Reader B. admired the most recent WORK: “Ah, Enderby. A nicely Joycean passage you selected, too. I should like to reread some lesser-known Burgess.”
I welcome comments, suggestions, thoughts, feedback and all manner of what-have-you. Just press ‘Reply’ or email to: clippings@katexic.com.
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