diff --git a/masque/repetition.py b/masque/repetition.py
index be77ab8..a365909 100644
--- a/masque/repetition.py
+++ b/masque/repetition.py
@@ -332,9 +332,9 @@ class Arbitrary(Repetition):
 
     @displacements.setter
     def displacements(self, val: ArrayLike) -> None:
-        vala: NDArray[numpy.float64] = numpy.array(val, dtype=float)
-        vala = numpy.sort(vala.view([('', vala.dtype)] * vala.shape[1]), 0).view(vala.dtype)    # sort rows
-        self._displacements = vala
+        vala = numpy.array(val, dtype=float)
+        order = numpy.lexsort(vala.T[::-1])     # sortrows
+        self._displacements = vala[order]
 
     def __init__(
             self,
diff --git a/masque/shapes/text.py b/masque/shapes/text.py
index fa0038b..e936796 100644
--- a/masque/shapes/text.py
+++ b/masque/shapes/text.py
@@ -230,7 +230,8 @@ def get_char_as_polygons(
     outline = slot.outline
 
     start = 0
-    all_verts_list, all_codes = [], []
+    all_verts_list = []
+    all_codes = []
     for end in outline.contours:
         points = outline.points[start:end + 1]
         points.append(points[0])