The drop of Rain

   A little particle of rain

    That from a passing cloud descended¹:

  Was heard thus idly to complain:

    "My brief existence now is ended!

  Outcast alike of earth and sky,

  Useless to live, unknown to die!"

  It chanced to fall into the sea,

    And there an open shell received it;

  And after years how rich was he

    Who from its prison-house released it!

  The drop of rain had formed a gem²

  To deck a monarch's diadem³.

ANONYMOUS

1 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

2 gem   

n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel

参考例句：

• The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
• The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。

3 diadem   

n.王冠，冕

参考例句：

• The diadem is the symbol of royalty.王冠就是王权的象征。
• Nature like us is sometimes caught without diadem.自然犹如我等，时常没戴皇冠。