The Hummingbird and My Salvation

绘◎七 空

The hummingbird①hummingbird 英 ['hʌmɪŋbɜːd] 美 ['hʌmɪŋbɝd] n. 蜂鸟 Am not just a Statistic, I Am Survivor：① abuse 英 [ə'bjuːz] 美 [ə'bjus] n. 滥用；虐待；辱骂；弊端vt. 滥用；虐待；辱骂was lost in the supermarket,exhausted②empower 英 [ɪm'paʊə; em-] 美 [ɪm'paʊɚ]vt. 授权，允许；使能够 exhausted 英 [ɪg'zɔːstɪd] 美 [ɪg'zɔstɪd] adj. 疲惫的；耗尽的v. 耗尽；用尽（exhaust的过去式）, starving③limb 英 [lɪm] 美 [lɪm] n. 肢，臂；分支；枝干vt. 切断……的手足；从……上截下树枝The Hummingbird and My Salvation： starving 英 ['sta:viŋ] adj. 饥饿的；挨饿的v. 挨饿（starve的ing形式）；使饿死, and near death as it spiraled④spiral 英 ['spaɪr(ə)l] 美 ['spaɪrəl]n. 螺旋adj. 螺旋形的；盘旋的vt. 使成螺旋形vi. 盘旋towards the ground on helpless wings.

I snatched⑤snatch 英 [snætʃ] 美 [snætʃ]n. 抢夺；抓举；小量vt. 夺得；抽空做；及时救助her away from the crushing carts,cupped her in my hands, and rushed for the exit. She was tiny and soft against my palms.

I ran out towards the flowers. She was too weak to perch⑥perch 英 [pɜːtʃ] 美 [pɝtʃ] n. 鲈鱼 ; 高位；栖木；杆vt. 栖息；就位；位于；使坐落于vi. 栖息；就位；位于; I cupped her in my palm and held her up to each fl ower to drink.

Slowly, she perked up and her claws tightened on my fi nger. Then she spread her wings and fl ew on her own: a tiny, sweet miracle.