Provider: Fr. Pierre Demer /½Í¼w¸q¯«¤÷

An ant on the tablecloth

1
Ran into a dormant moth
Of many times his size.
He showed not the least surprise.
His business wasn't with such. 5
He gave it scarcely a touch,
And was off on his duty run.
Yet if he encountered one
Of the hive's enquiry squad
Whose work is to find out God 10
And the nature of time and space,
He would put him onto the case.
Ants are a curious race;
One crossing with hurried tread
The body of one of their dead 15
Isn't given a moment's arrest-
Seems not even impressed.
But he no doubt reports to any
With whom he crosses antennae,
And they no doubt report 20
To the higher-up at court.
Then word goes forth in Formic:
"Death's come to Jerry McCormic,
Our selfless forager Jerry.
Will the special Janizary 25
Whose office it is to bury
The dead of the commissary
Go bring him home to his people.
Lay him in state on a sepal.
Wrap him for shroud in a petal. 30
Embalm him with ichor of nettle.
This is the word of your Queen."
And presently on the scene
Appears a solemn mortician;
And taking formal position, 35
With feelers calmly atwiddle,
Seizes the dead by the middle,
And heaving him high in air,
Carries him out of there.
No one stands round to stare. 40
It is nobody else's affair
It couldn't be called ungentle
But how thoroughly departmental.

Line / No.
Word or Phrase
Annotation
2
Ran into °¸¹J¡C
dormant ¡]¼È®É¡^¤£¬¡°Êªº¡C
moth Äø¡F¸¿¡C[back]
7
off Â÷¶}¡C
on his duty run Ä~Äò°õ¦æ¥Lªº¥ô°È¡C[back]
9
the hive's enquiry squad ¸s©~¤§Ãƪº½Õ¬d¤p¶¤¡C[back]
12
put him onto the case ­n¥L¸Ñ¨M¨º°ÝÃD¡C[back]
14
crossing ¬Û¥ª¡A¨ä¨üµü¬°²Ä15¦æªºbody¡C
with hurried tread ¥H¥^¦£ªº¸}¨B¨«¸ô¡F¥Î¨Ó­×¹¢crossing¡C[back]
16
a moment's arrest Àþ¶¡ªº§l¤Þ¡]ª`·N¡^¡A«ü¹ï¦PÃþªº«ÍÅé¤@ÂI¤]¤£¤©ª`·N¡C[back]
17
impressed ±o¨ì¦L¶H¡C[back]
19
crosses antennae IJŽ¬Û¸I¡A·N¿×¹J¨ì¦PºÛªº¥ô¦ó¿ÂÃÆ¡C[back]
21
the higher up at court ´Â®xùا󰪯Ūº©x­û¡C[back]
22
Formic Ãƪº»y¨¥¡A·½¥XFormicidae¡A§Y¡uÃƬì¡v¤§·N¡C[back]
23
Jerry McCormic ¦º¤`¤§Ãƪº¦W¦r¡AJerry¬O«Ü´¶³qªº¦W¦r¦p¤¤°êªº±i¤T¡B§õ¥|¡A¦Ü©ó¥ÎMcCormic³o¤@©m¤ó¬°ªº¬O¨Ï»P²Ä22¦æ³Ì«á¤@¦rFormic©ãÃý¡C[back]
24
selfless forager §Ñ§Úªº·j´MªÌ¡C[back]
25
Janizary ¥j¤g¦Õ¨ä¤ý¤§ªñ½Ã¨B§L¡A¦b³oùØ«üªº¬O­x¤H©Î©x­û¡A¨Ï»P¤U¤@¦æ³Ì«á¤@¦rbury©ãÃý¡C[back]
26
office ¾­û¡F¥ô°È¡C[back]
27
commissary ©e­û¡A¥Nªí¡A­x»Ý©x¡A«üªº¬Oour selfless forager Jerry¡C[back]
29
Lay him in state on a sepal ÂlÀÔ«á¸m©ó¸°¤ù¤W¥ô¤H¾Ì¤Ý¡C[back]
30
Wrap him¡Ka petal ¥Î¤@¤ùªáä·í§@«Í¡]¹Ø¡^¦ç§â¥L»q°_¨Ó¡C[back]
31
Embalm him with ichor of nettle ¥ÎëC³Â±Ñ²G§@¬°­»®Æ§â¥L¶î¼Å¡C[back]
32
the word of your Queen ÃƦZ¤§¥O¡C[back]
34
mortician ­t³dÂl¸®ªº¤H¡C[back]
36
feelers calmly at widdle ¥­ÀR¦aÂà¨ÓÂà¥hªºÄ²Å½¡C[back]
38
heaving him high in air ¥Î¤O§â¥L°ª°ªÁ|°_¡C[back]
42
ungentle ¤£¿Ë¤Á©Î¤£©Mµ½ªº¡C[back]
43
how thoroughly departmental ¦óµ¥¹ý©³¦a¦U¥q¨ä¾¡A¤¬¤£¬Û¤z¡C[back]

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