Like one, that on a lonely road

Doth walk in fear and dread,

And having once turn'd round, walks on
And turns no more his head:

Because he knows, a frightful fiend
Doth close behind him tread.

But soon there breath'd a wind on me,
Ne sound ne motion made:

Its path was not upon the sea
In ripple or in shade.

It rais'd my hair, it fann'd my cheek,
Like a meadow-gale of spring-

It mingled strangely with my fears,
Yet it felt like a welcoming.

Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship,

Yet she sail'd softly too :

Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze— On me alone it blew.

O dream of joy! is this indeed
The light-house top I see?

Is this the Hill? Is this the Kirk
Is this mine own countrée ?

We drifted o'er the Harbour-bar,
And I with sobs did pray-

"O let me be awake, my God!
"Or let me sleep alway!"

The harbour-bay was clear as glass,
So smoothly it was strewn !
And on the bay the moon light lay,

And the shadow of the moon.

The moonlight bay was white all o'er,

Till rising from the same,

Full many shapes, that shadows were, Like as of torches came.

A little distance from the prow
Those dark-red shadows were;

But soon I saw that my own flesh
Was red as in a glare.

I turn'd my head in fear and dread,
And by the holy rood,

The bodies had advanc'd, and now
Before the mast they stood.

They lifted up their stiff right arms, They held them strait and tight; And each right-arm burnt like a torch, A torch that's borne upright.

Their stony eye-balls glitter'd on

In the red and smoky light.

I pray'd and turn'd my head away

Forth looking as before.

There was no breeze upon the bay,
No wave against the shore.

1

The rock shone bright, the kirk no less

That stands above the rock:

The moonlight steep'd in silentness

The steady weathercock.

And the bay was white with silent light,

Till rising from the same

Full many shapes, that shadows were,

In crimson colours came.

A little distance from the prow
Those crimson shadows were:

I turn'd my eyes upon the deck-
O Christ! what saw I there?

Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat;

And by the Holy rood

A man all light, a seraph-man,
On every corse there stood.

This seraph-band, each wav'd his hand : It was a heavenly sight:

They stood as signals to the land,

Each one a lovely light:

This seraph-band, cach wav'd his hand, No voice did they impart

No voice; but O! the silence sank,

Like music on my heart.

Eftsones I heard the dash of oars,
I heard the pilot's cheer:
My head was turn'd perforce away
And I saw a boat appear.