The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

IT IS an ancient mariner, And he stoppeth one of three.

IT IS an ancient mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. ‘By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

‘By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

He holds him with his glittering eye – The wedding guest stood still, And listens like a three years’ child: The mariner hath his will.

He holds him with his glittering eye – The wedding guest stood still, And listens like a three years’ child: The mariner hath his will.

‘The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top.

‘The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top.

The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound!

The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound!”

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine; While all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white moonshine.’

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, It perched for vespers nine; While all the night, through fog-smoke white, Glimmered the white moonshine.’

‘God save thee, ancient mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! – Why look’st thou so?’ – ‘With my crossbow I shot the albatross.’

‘God save thee, ancient mariner! From the fiends, that plague thee thus! – Why look’st thou so?’ –‘With my crossbow I shot the albatross.’

And I had done a hellish thing, And it would work ’em woe: For all averred, I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow. “Ah wretch!” said they, “the bird to slay That made the breeze to blow!”

And I had done a hellish thing, And it would work ’em woe: For all averred, I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow. “Ah wretch!” said they, “the bird to slay That made the breeze to blow!”

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free; We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea.

The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, The furrow followed free; We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea.

And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea!

And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea! All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody sun, at noon, Right up above the mast did stand, No bigger than the moon. Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean.

Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean.

Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea. About, about, in reel and rout, The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch’s oils, Burned green and blue and white.

Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.

Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.

The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea.

The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea.

About, about, in reel and rout, The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch’s oils, Burned green and blue and white.

About, about, in reel and rout, The death-fires danced at night; The water, like a witch’s oils, Burned green and blue and white.

Ah! well a-day! what evil looks Had I from old and young! Instead of the cross, the albatross About my neck was hung.’

Ah! well a-day! what evil looks Had I from old and young! Instead of the cross, the albatross About my neck was hung.’

Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The nightmare Life-in-Death was she, Who thicks man’s blood with cold.

Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The nightmare Life-in-Death was she, Who thicks man’s blood with cold.

Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony.

Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony.

The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie: And a thousand thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I.

The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie: And a thousand thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I.

I looked to heaven, and tried to pray: But ’fore ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came, and made my heart as dry as dust.

I looked to heaven, and tried to pray: But ’fore ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came, and made my heart as dry as dust.

An orphan’s curse would drag to hell A spirit from on high; But oh! more horrible than that Is a curse in a dead man’s eye! Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, And yet I could not die.

An orphan’s curse would drag to hell A spirit from on high; But oh! more horrible than that Is a curse in a dead man’s eye! Seven days, seven nights, I saw that curse, And yet I could not die.

The selfsame moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The Albatross fell off and sank Like lead into the sea.’

The selfsame moment I could pray; And from my neck so free The Albatross fell off and sank Like lead into the sea.’

‘Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing, Beloved from pole to pole! To Mary queen the praise be given! She sent the gentle sleep from heaven That slid into my soul.

‘Oh sleep! it is a gentle thing, Beloved from pole to pole! To Mary queen the praise be given! She sent the gentle sleep from heaven That slid into my soul.

They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; It had been strange, even in a dream, To have seen those dead men rise.

They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, Nor spake, nor moved their eyes; It had been strange, even in a dream, To have seen those dead men rise.

How long in that same fit I lay, I have not to declare; But ere my living life returned, I heard and in my soul discerned Two voices in the air.

How long in that same fit I lay, I have not to declare; But ere my living life returned, I heard and in my soul discerned Two voices in the air. “Is it he?” quoth one. “Is this the man? By him who died on cross, With his cruel bow he laid full low, The harmless albatross. The spirit who bideth by himself In the land of mist and snow, He loved the bird that loved the man Who shot him with his bow.” The other was a softer voice, As soft as honey-dew. Quoth he, “The man hath penance done, And penance more will do.” ’

Like one that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more his head – Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread.

Like one that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more his head – Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread.

Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, Yet she sailed softly too; Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze – On me alone it blew.

Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, Yet she sailed softly too; Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze – On me alone it blew.

Since then, at an uncertain hour, That agony returns; And till my ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns.

Since then, at an uncertain hour, That agony returns; And till my ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns.

O wedding guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely ’twas, that God himself Scarce seeméd there to be.

O wedding guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely ’twas, that God himself Scarce seeméd there to be.

Farewell, farewell! but this I tell To thee, thou wedding guest! He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast.

Farewell, farewell! but this I tell To thee, thou wedding guest! He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast.

He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us He made and loveth all.’

He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us He made and loveth all.’

The mariner, whose eye is bright, Whose beard with age is hoar, Is gone: and now the wedding guest Turned from the bridegroom’s door.

Farewell, farewell! but this I tell To thee, thou wedding guest! He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. He prayeth best, who loveth best All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us He made and loveth all.’ The mariner, whose eye is bright, Whose beard with age is hoar, Is gone: and now the wedding guest Turned from the bridegroom’s door.

He went like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn; A sadder and a wiser man, He rose the morrow morn.

He went like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn; A sadder and a wiser man, He rose the morrow morn.