| It is an ancyent Marinere, | |
| And he stoppeth one of three: | |
| "By thy long grey beard and thy glittering eye | |
"Now wherefore stoppest me?
| |
| "The Bridegroom's doors are open'd wide | |
| "And I am next of kin; | |
| "The Guests are met, the Feast is set,— | |
"May'st hear the merry din.
| |
| But still he holds the wedding-guest— | | |
| There was a Ship, quoth he— | 10 |
| "Nay, if thou'st got a laughsome tale, | | |
"Marinere! come with me."
| |
| He holds him with his skinny hand, | | |
| Quoth he, there was a Ship— | |
| "Now get thee hence, thou grey-beard Loon! | | |
"Or my Staff shall make thee skip.
| |
| He holds him with his glittering eye— | | |
| The wedding guest stood still | |
| And listens like a three year's child; | | |
The Marinere hath his will.
| 20 |
| The wedding-guest sate on a stone, | | |
| He cannot chuse but hear: | |
| And thus spake on that ancyent man, | | |
The bright-eyed Marinere.
| |
| The Ship was cheer'd, the Harbour clear'd— | | |
| Merrily did we drop | |
| Below the Kirk, below the Hill, | | |
Below the Light-house top.
| |
| The Sun came up upon the left, | | |
| Out of the Sea came he: | 30 |
| And he shone bright, and on the right | | |
Went down into the Sea.
| |
| Higher and higher every day, | | |
| Till over the mast at noon— | |
| The wedding-guest here beat his breast, | | |
For he heard the loud bassoon.
| |
| The Bride hath pac'd into the Hall, | | |
| Red as a rose is she; | |
| Nodding their heads before her goes | | |
The merry Minstralsy.
| 40 |
| The wedding-guest he beat his breast, | | |
| Yet he cannot chuse but hear: | |
| And thus spake on that ancyent Man, | | |
The bright-eyed Marinere.
| |
| Listen, Stranger! Storm and Wind, | | |
| A Wind and Tempest strong! | |
| For days and weeks it play'd us freaks— | | |
Like Chaff we drove along.
| |
| Listen, Stranger! Mist and Snow, | | |
| And it grew wond'rous cauld: | 50 |
| And Ice mast-high came floating by | | |
As green as Emerauld.
| |
| And thro' the drifts the snowy clifts | | |
| Did send a dismal sheen; | |
| Ne shapes of men ne beasts we ken— | | |
The Ice was all between.
| |
| The Ice was here, the Ice was there, | | |
| The Ice was all around: | |
| It crack'd and growl'd, and roar'd and howl'd— | | |
Like noises of a swound.
| 60 |
| At length did cross an Albatross, | | |
| Thorough the Fog it came; | |
| And an it were a Christian Soul, | | |
We hail'd it in God's name.
| |
| The Marineres gave it biscuit-worms, | | |
| And round and round it flew: | |
| The Ice did split with a Thunder-fit; | | |
The Helmsman steer'd us thro'.
| |
| And a good south wind sprung up behind, | | |
| The Albatross did follow; | 70 |
| And every day for food or play | | |
Came to the Marinere's hollo!
| |
| In mist or cloud on mast or shroud | | |
| It perch'd for vespers nine, | |
| Whiles all the night thro' fog-smoke white | | |
Glimmer'd the white moon-shine.
| |
| "God save thee, ancyent Marinere! | | |
| "From the fiends that plague thee thus— | |
| "Why look'st thou so?"—with my cross bow | | |
| I shot the Albatross. | 80 |