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, each 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.

Then vanish'd all the lovely lights;
The bodies rose anew :

With silent pace, each to his place,
Came back the ghastly crew.

The wind, that shade nor motion made,
On me alone it blew.

The pilot, and the pilot's boy
I heard them coming fast :
Dear Lord in Heaven! it was a joy,
The dead men could not blast.

I saw a third—I heard his voice:
It is the Hermit good!
He singeth loud his godly hymns
That he makes in the wood.
He'll shrieve my soul, he'll wash away

The Albatross's blood.

VII.

This Hermit good lives in that wood
Which slopes down to the Sea.
How loudly his sweet voice he rears !
He loves to talk with Marineres

That come from a far Contrée.

He kneels at morn and noon and eve-
He hath a cushion plump :

It is the moss, that wholly hides

The rotted old Oak-stump.

The Skiff-boat ne'rd: I heard them talk, Why, this is strange, I trow! "Where are those lights so many and fair "That signal made but now ?

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Strange, by my faith the Hermit said— "And they answer'd not our cheer.

"The planks look warp'd, and see those sails "How thin they are and sere! "I never saw aught like to them "Unless perchance it were

"The skeletons of leaves that lag "My forest brook along :

"When the Ivy-tod is heavy with snow, "And the Owlet whoops to the wolf below "That eats the she-wolf's young.

"Dear Lord! it has a fiendish look

(The Pilot made reply).

"I am a-fear'd.-" Push on, push on! "Said the Hermit cheerily.

The Boat came closer to the Ship,
But I ne spake ne stirr'd!

The Boat came close beneath the Ship,
And strait a sound was heard!

Under the water it rumbled on,

Still louder and more dread:
It reach'd the Ship, it split the bay;
The Ship went down like lead.

Stunn'd by that loud and dreadful sound,
Which sky and ocean smote:

Like one that hath been seven days drown'd
My body lay afloat: