Miho (Verse), Miho (Verse)

"Bwahahahahahaha!" _Quinn distributes congrulatory 'ph34r the Darkly Cute ones' t-shirts to everyone but Smurd. "We got him!"

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Forgot to ask: what does "Unaussprechlichen Mädchen" translate as?

(Also, I'm not quite sure if the following 'works right'... let me know.)

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I've been basing my work on a photographic reproduction of a work found in the 1337th stone removed from the Washington Monument during its renovations in 2001. It appears to be a rushed copy of another work, in many places substituting numbers where the scribe apparently felt it would take too long to accurately reproduce the original. Since the 'key' to this system was not recovered along with it, reconstruction is very difficult; for instance, how many letters does '4107' have in it?

The primary distinction of this work are its marginalia, which seem to indicate that the author is experimenting in order to verify certain passages; the anger is evident in the scribe's hand when s/he notes: "M1h0" -- translation unknown -- "shows up in m1rr0rs, but is not vulnerable to s331ng h3r r3fl3ction 1f sh3's holding a hairbrush."

Other marginalia, equally obscure, make references to "d33p c0v3r" and worry about "0p3r4t1v3 f41l00r". I will continue to report, as I have, unique fragments, or fragments which substantially vary from canonical Yamiko.

-_Quinn

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
"Forgot to ask: what does "Unaussprechlichen Mädchen" translate as?

---

Well, the German-to-English Fish makes it

"Inexpressible girls"

I suspect that unaussprechlichen probably best translates as "unpronouncable".

My German was never that great, and is now very rusty; I'm pretty sure Lovecraft, not a native German speaker himself, intended it to mean "unspeakable"

Focusing on an exact translation misses the real joke though, a Lovecraft reference.

"Unaussprechlich" means "unspeakable", as Lovecraft intended. "Unpronouceable" would better be translated as "unaussprechbar" in German.

Know your fanboys, for
with a thousand minions, you
need not fear defeat.
-Strategies, 8:18-20

quote:

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Originally posted by Master Edward:
"Unaussprechlich" means "unspeakable", as Lovecraft intended. "Unpronouceable" would better be translated as "unaussprechbar" in German.

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Vielen Dank, Meister Eduard... Es war... die Unaussprechlich! 'Was blöd. Bitte klicken Sie hier.

Not all men may be
beguiled through beauty alone -
learn to stab and frag.
Many ways to a man's heart.
Find the chink in his armour!

-- Strategies 12:1-5

There is little honor among thieves. An almost identical text appears in Cultes des Girls, in the chillingly graphic section titled "Recipes for Success: How to Serve Man".

[ October 26, 2001: Message edited by: Phaedrus ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
how many letters does '4107' have in it?

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Ohmyghod.

I missed this on first reading. That was wicked.

quote:

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Originally posted by Phaedrus:
Ohmyghod.

how many letters does '4107' have in it?

I missed this on first reading. That was wicked.

---

You're welcome, Phaedrus. [bows] 'Wicked' is appropriate for this thread, no?

-_Quinn

[ October 26, 2001: Message edited by: Quinn ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
You're welcome, Phaedrus. [bows] 'Wicked' is appropriate for this thread, no?

---

Congratulations, gentlemen, I believe you have created yet another M.T. forum paradigm! applauds

<scrolls page up and down and up and down continuously searching>

Huh? Whaaaa?? Explain please?

quote:

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Originally posted by Wangus:
<scrolls page up and down and up and down continuously searching>

Huh? Whaaaa?? Explain please?

---

The thread, or smurd's forum paradigm?

The thread is simple enough to explain; it was getting to be That Time of the Month again, when my muse gets cranky and starts insisting that I write something... and the next logical topic after Kimiko would be Miho, no?

You can skip most of the rest of this, but I feel this need to type, so if it assumes an insultingly large ignorance, ignore it.

Then DivineWind and Garran kick in with their contributions, and I sidetrack things a little with my Scary Thoughts ™, and then everyone stops contributing in order to join the Second FanWar.

Then I used my special power -- The Hyper Topic Shift ™ -- and introduced the Necrowombicon -- the Book of Dead Wombats -- as a topic. A little explanation may be in order of the resulting posts and discussion. The Necrowombicon -- which, in-strip, appears to have released Miho (the topic, remember?) -- is a take-off on the Necronicom (sp?), "The Book of the Dead", as featured in the Army of Darkness movie trilogy, and the works of HP Lovecraft. (Yes, in that order. Part of the reason Lovecraft lost most of his sanity was repeated and spontaneous trips to future movie theaters. Sad, really.)

The obvious intent of the Necrowombicon (which may have been stolen from another webcomic) is to be the Book of Dead Wombats; a title, I thought, which would be appropriate for a cookbook. Phaedrus and Garran, as usual, took a perfectly good idea and made it funnier and better. Phaedrus began the 'scholarly commentary', and Garran introduce the Mad Prophet Yamiko; I rather suspect we all (or at least, Phaedrus and I) like the idea of presenting our work as someone else's because we're such unrepetant Kimkio fanboys. The works, incidentally, obliquely describe certain things we've seen Miho doing, or how we believe she thinks.

The 'sans-hemp' post contained references to the scholarly technique of identifying particular editions of a work by the mistakes in it; you may have heard examples involving the bible. "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here" should be familiar to you from your tour of the afterlife.

My post about the edition I'm working from implies that it was a copy made by a l33t undercover agent working to defeat a previous appearance of Miho. (Good villians never die, they just fade into the sequel!)

Finally, '4107' == alot; I think I'll allow smurd to explain his own comment, since I'm not quite sure he said what I think he did.

-_Quinn

[ October 27, 2001: Message edited by: Quinn ]

The following fragment is very old and controversial; it is supposedly the last remaining fragment of Yamiko's final writing, an epic poem allegedly penned by the prophet in his dotage, as he lay dying, embittered and bereft of inspiration in a temple in the mountains near Kyoto, waited on by aging miko. Readers should be warned that the veracity of this piece is extremely suspect, not least due to its suspicious resemblance to another famous piece of poetry (though whether this is indicative of forgery or plagiarism on part of the latter poet would take wiser minds than ours to say for certain).

I little prophet, now, an idle ping
Near a still heart, among these barren hags
Match'd with an aged life I peter, old
Unequal jaws couched in a wrinkled face
With gums that scrape and bleed and show no teeth.

[Ed note: I would like to apologize to everyone, especially Alfred Lord Tennyson, and smurd, since the idea of parodying epic poetry wouldn't be so in my head were it not for him. ;; I have no idea where this came from. Also, someone let me know if there are no mountains near Kyoto.]

[Edit: Added a better pun.]

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: Garran ]

Well, this is rather dark, but kind of protrays Miho's "evil" side. Or at least as Largo sees her.

Murder:
A lost soul
running through the darkness
a slippery, shiny, black.

Cold is the heart
of a killer
lost is her soul.

Like night her heart
light hidden
in her so deep.

Nay does she know
any peace or love
not since the killing.

Not since the taking
of innocent life
of a baby’s last breath.

Of a crying mother
wounded child
hurt friend.

Not since they died
died at her hands
blood forever more.

Now no longer
does she sit and pray
laugh and weep.

not since the killing.
like an empty shell
wandering forever.

No longer does she see
the joy in life
Just the sorrow.

Never well she understand
the blood on her hands
nor the lives gone.

Blood spilt
ironed into his memory
a ghastly vision.

It’s all she knows
all she remembers.
a lost soul.

Like a dream
no, a nightmare
following the living.

A shadow
nothing but vapors
no being or light.

Running through the darkness
an empty, cold shell
a lost soul.

Guess it's okay...

Good one, Melfina, better than O.K.

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
...I think I'll allow smurd to explain his own comment, since I'm not quite sure he said what I think he did.

---

I meant not to sow confusion, only to handily describe a metaphenomenon I have seen repeated a number of times in the short history of MegaTokyo. Its lifecycle can be described thus:

1. We discover MegaTokyo.
2. We keep coming back so as never to miss a new strip.
3. Waiting for new strips proves inadequate, and we enhance our experience by participating in the forum community.
4. Someone does or sez something that sparks the creative fire in someone on the forum, e.g., NekoHime and her i...i feel a haiku coming on thread.
5. The idea catches on and all kinds of people join in.
6.The response goes from being sporadic to becoming a custom, e.g., the de rigeur haiku thread that appears after each new strip.
7. Said custom becomes an institution with a life of its own, e.g., the Megatokyo Haiku Archives.

A cycles-within-cycles phenomenon, entirely unintended by Fred in doing MegaTokyo, intimately bound to it yet strangely satisfying in its own right. Ergo, a paradigm shift -- not just a comic, and not just an online comic with a forum.

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: smurd ]

quote:

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Originally posted by MelfinaStarwind:
Guess it's okay...

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Wow.

More than OK, Melfina. Amazing.

In some ways it reminded me of Seamus Heaney's recent translation of Beowulf. Similar sort of punctuated meter, similar bloody actions.

(Anyone who got turned off reading Beowulf in high school, you owe it to yourself to try this new translation. Really brings the story to life).

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
"Bwahahahahahaha!" _Quinn distributes congrulatory 'ph34r the Darkly Cute ones' t-shirts to everyone but Smurd. "We got him!"

---

[Assumes Mickey Rooney voice] "Hey, guys, we can put out our own Miho t-shirt!" (To be sure, something that incorporates that wonderful "Unaussprechlichen Mädchen" phrase. Meinen Ohren klingt das wie süßer Musik!

/me seconds Phaedrus.

for smurd:

Is it tradition
if Garran doesn't archive
the posts made to it?

-_Quinn

Grant your smiles rarely.
They will study and ponder
every nuance.
Fanboys will argue for days
about the hint of a smile.

Secrets 4:1-5

First attested in the Pingakotic Manuscripts, this verse is often cited in support for a connection between the undead and the not living.

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: Phaedrus ]

In the '1337' manuscript, several passages appear to contradict translations from other works. Consider Secrets 3:20, in which Yamiko's handiwork is particularly evident...

[Apparent original.]

Hidden eyes' power:
to tantalize, to control
imagination.

[Yamiko's edit.]

Hidden eyes, like all
mysteries, have the power
to tantalize, guide
imagination, control
it, and to create devotion.

[The '1337' version.]

Hidden eyes' weakness:
to discover illusion
you must call her bluff.

-_Quinn

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: Quinn ]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Quinn:
for smurd:

Is it tradition
if Garran doesn't archive
the posts made to it?

---

He storeth best who Perleth best,
All verse both great and small:
For MT fans who writeth verse,
Who read and loveth all.

(apologies to Coleridge)

He prayeth best who loveth best,
All things both great and small:
For the dear God, who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.

...amen to that.

[ October 28, 2001: Message edited by: smurd ]

[The Church of Miho's adaption of 'Purple People Eater' is left as an excercise for the reader.]

_Little Raver Girl_

Come, they told me,
our undead Queen to see
our finest to bring
to lay before her schwing
so honor her
when we are come

Lady Raver
I am a raver too
I have no gift to bring
that's fit to give your shwing
shall I rhyme for you?
in my verse?

Miho nodded
the fox and ram kept rhyme
I wrote out my verse for her
I wrote my best verse for her
she didn't smile at me
me or my verse

-_Quinn

...and now the shades of songwriters and poets through the ages are quaking in their winding-sheets... "Can anything by parodied?!"

quote:

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Originally posted by Quinn:
...she didn't smile at me
me or my verse

-_Quinn

---

I just loves it!

[ October 31, 2001: Message edited by: smurd ]

With your permission, a sonnet, composed in honour of Miho the Darkly Cute.

A ribbon tangled loosely in her hair,
Eyes narrowed 'gainst the harsh glare of the sun,
Was ever evil known that's quite so fair?
One look from her, and all that's good's undone.

A figure in the distance, tall and proud,
Her hordes of minions battle in her stead
None but the strongest ever are allowed
To serve Miho, the Queen of the Undead.

And yet, it seems, she has a softer side.
An unexpected smile, and a pet?
Rememberance makes Largo want to hide,
For he now knows he hasn't won quite yet.

And what comes next? Ah, only time will tell,
And all that we can do is wish her well.

Divine Wind, gambatte! Ph43r n0t j00r po3tic s1d3!!

In this strip, so many lovely ladies found,
And these, of many moods possessed.
I see in each potential poems bound,
With only one am I obsessed.

Like chocolates, with diff'rent flavours laced
They come in light or darker shades;
It's bittersweet that is the subtler taste,
Its mystery all else outweighs.

From The National Rave Council's archives:

[A big tin of hot chocolate mix, on a grey table. Very close zoom.]
Announcer: This is your brain.
[Zoom out enough to see a small coffee mug; as we zoom out a little further, beautiful hands scoop out hot chocolate mix, dump it in the mug, and pour hot (not boiling) water into the mug, and then stir it.]
Announcer: This is your brain on X.
[Miho drinks the coffee mug dry in one go.]
Announcer: This is Miho.
[Zoom to black through one of her pupils.]
Announcer: Fear the darkly cute ones.
[on screen: ph34r the3 d4rkly cut3 0n3s.]
Announcer: Paid for by the National Rave Council.

-_Quinn

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: Quinn ]

[haiku]
I must humbly state
my wishes, to write sonnets,
should they have a thread?

I remember not
the rules for writing sonnets,
no syllable count?
[/haiku]

[sonnet]
My mistress, I find I've come to thee,
on the mercy of your darkest grace,
your cuteness is all that comforts me,
as sickening brightness fills this place.

Your raver minions have eased my mind,
dancing fast, as though caught in flame,
comforted to be among my kind,
so many people wearing the same.

Ravers writhing, their clothes neon bright,
and this kind of music needs no bands,
Miho's minions, clothes dark as night,
strobe lights do odd things to their hands.

It's a damn weird use of imagery,
guess I can't write sonnets, sucks to be me.
[/sonnet]

Ah well, I tried I used to be good at sonnets, but then haiku took over my life

[edit: browser breaks textboxes]

[ November 01, 2001: Message edited by: squee ]