A QUESTION PRELUDE.

     In the Art-Palace on green Isar's strand¹,
     Before one picture long I kept my seat,
     It held me spellbound by some magic band,
     Nor when my home I sought, could I forget.

     A year elapsed, came winter's frost and snow,
     'Twas rarely now we saw the bright sun shine,
     I plucked up courage and cried: "Be it so!"
     Then southward wandered with those I call mine.

     Like birds of passage built we there a nest
     On a palm-shaded shore, all steeped in light,
     Life was a holiday, enjoyed with zest²
     And grateful hearts, the while it winged its flight.

     Oft on the sea's wide purplish-blue expanse,
     With ever new delight I fixed³ my eyes,
     Alma Tadema's picture, at each glance
     Recalled to mind, a thousand times would rise.

     Once a day dawned, glad as a bride's fair face,
     Perfume, and light, and joy it did enfold,
     Then-without search, flitted from out of space
     Words for the tale that my friend's picture told.

1 strand   

vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地）

参考例句：

• She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears.她把一缕散发夹到了耳后。
• The climbers had been stranded by a storm.登山者被暴风雨困住了。

2 zest   

n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣

参考例句：

• He dived into his new job with great zest.他充满热情地投入了新的工作。
• He wrote his novel about his trip to Asia with zest.他兴趣浓厚的写了一本关于他亚洲之行的小说。

3 fixed   

adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的

参考例句：

• Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？
• Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。