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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 bear the merry din.

But still he holds the wedding-guest—
There was a Ship, quoth he-
"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.

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:

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,

Bed as a rose is she;

Nodding their heads before her goes

The Merry Minstralsy.

The wedding-guest he beal 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:
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.