A Death Blow

 HE said goodbye, you hobbled out,

The Doctor shut the door.

From your face I knew he’d told you

Things we had guessed before.

I saw you slightly tremble

But I reached you ere you fell.

Your fixèd face said many things

More than you cared to tell.

One does not receive death warrants¹

As one would a courtesy².

After awhile your head went up

And you talked it all out with me.

Brave little woman I knew you

Knew you were never afraid.

Not for yourself, You forbid me—

To speak and my questions you staid.

All I could give was silence.

Your pride forbade me much.

Tho’ I longed to bear your burden

Even to be your crutch³.

 

1 warrants   

授权证( warrant的名词复数 )； 许可证； （做某事的）正当理由； 依据

参考例句：

• Arrest warrants were issued against 16 of the protesters. 对16 名抗议者的逮捕令签发了。
• The future fo operations research applied to management decisions warrants enthusiasm. 在管理决策中应用作业研究的前景是乐观的。

2 courtesy   

n.谦恭有礼，礼貌的举止，好意，恩惠

参考例句：

• She called on us merely for the sake of courtesy.她来访只是为了礼貌。
• After a few words of courtesy,they got down to business.双方客气了一番，就开始谈正事。

3 crutch   

n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱

参考例句：

• Her religion was a crutch to her when John died.约翰死后，她在精神上依靠宗教信仰支撑住自己。
• He uses his wife as a kind of crutch because of his lack of confidence.他缺乏自信心，总把妻子当作主心骨。