散文：I can wade Grief

I can wade¹ Grief - 

Whole Pools of it - 

I'm used to that - 

But the least push of Joy 

Breaks up my feet - 

And I tip - drunken - 

Let no Pebble² - smile - 

'Twas the New Liquor - 

That was all! 

 

Power is only Pain - 

Stranded³, thro' Discipline, 

Till Weights - will hang - 

Give Balm - to Giants - 

And they'll wilt⁴, like Men - 

Give Himmaleh - 

They'll Carry - Him! 

 

Emily is used to pushing through grief as if wading⁵ through a pool of tears. She has no problem surviving the pain, even large amounts of it. However, when a small amount of happiness comes her way, it metaphorically⁶ trips her up and makes her stumble and fall. And she asks the pebbles⁷, witnesses to this fall, not to laugh at her, simply because she has no tolerance⁸ for the alcohol of happiness, not having had any experience with it. 

 

She then explains that power is not some gift but rather is the result of pain that, through discipline, can bear or withstand a heavy burden on its own. Pain stiffens⁹ the spine¹⁰ and strengthens the sinews. It forges the soul. If you give anything soothing¹¹ or helpful to giants, they will become as weak as ordinary humans. In contrast, if you give them a mountain, that is, a challenge, they will rise to it and show their greatest strength. 

1 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

2 pebble   

n.卵石，小圆石

参考例句：

• The bird mistook the pebble for egg and tried to hatch it.这只鸟错把卵石当蛋，想去孵它。
• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。

3 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

4 wilt   

v.(使)植物凋谢或枯萎；(指人)疲倦，衰弱

参考例句：

• Golden roses do not wilt and will never need to be watered.金色的玫瑰不枯萎绝也不需要浇水。
• Several sleepless nights made him wilt.数个不眠之夜使他憔悴。

5 wading   

（从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The man tucked up his trousers for wading. 那人卷起裤子，准备涉水。
• The children were wading in the sea. 孩子们在海水中走着。

6 metaphorically   

adv. 用比喻地

参考例句：

• It is context and convention that determine whether a term will be interpreted literally or metaphorically. 对一个词的理解是按字面意思还是隐喻的意思要视乎上下文和习惯。
• Metaphorically it implied a sort of admirable energy. 从比喻来讲，它含有一种令人赞许的能量的意思。

7 pebbles   

[复数]鹅卵石； 沙砾； 卵石，小圆石( pebble的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pebbles of the drive crunched under his feet. 汽车道上的小石子在他脚底下喀嚓作响。
• Line the pots with pebbles to ensure good drainage. 在罐子里铺一层鹅卵石，以确保排水良好。

8 tolerance   

n.宽容；容忍，忍受；耐药力；公差

参考例句：

• Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
• Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。

9 stiffens   

（使）变硬，（使）强硬( stiffen的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Heating the foam stiffens it and forms it. 暖气泡沫stiffens它和形式。
• He stiffens in momentary panic. 他心里一阵惊慌，浑身不自在起来。

10 spine   

n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊

参考例句：

• He broke his spine in a fall from a horse.他从马上跌下摔断了脊梁骨。
• His spine developed a slight curve.他的脊柱有点弯曲。

11 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。