The Children's Garland from the Best Poets Part 11

"It ate the food it ne'er had eat, And round and round it flew, The ice did split with a thunder-fit; The helmsman steered us through!

"And a good south wind sprung up behind; The Albatross did follow, And every day, for food or play, Came to the mariner's hollo!

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

"G.o.d save thee, ancient Mariner!

From the fiends that plague thee thus!-- Why look'st thou so?" "With my cross-bow I shot the Albatross.

"And I had done a h.e.l.lish thing, And it would work 'em woe: For all averr'd I had killed the bird That made the breeze to blow!

'Ah wretch!' said they, 'the bird to slay, That made the wind to blow!'

"Nor dim nor red, like G.o.d's own head, The glorious Sun uprist: Then all averred, I had killed the bird That brought the fog and mist.

'Twas right, said they, such birds to slay, That bring the fog and mist.

"Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down, 'Twas sad as sad could be; And we did speak only to break The silence of the sea.

"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.

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

"And every tongue, through utter drought, Was withered at the root; We could not speak, no more than if We had been choked with soot.

"Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks Had I from old and young!

Instead of the cross, the Albatross About my neck was hung.

"There pa.s.sed a weary time. Each throat Was parched, and glazed each eye.

A weary time! a weary time!

How glazed each weary eye, When looking westward, I beheld A something in the sky.

"At first it seemed a little speck, And then it seemed a mist; It moved and moved, and took at last A certain shape, I wist.

"A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist!

And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water-sprite, It plunged, and tacked, and veered.

"See! see! (I cried) she tacks no more!

Hither to work us weal; Without a breeze, without a tide, She steadies with upright keel!

"The western wave was all a-flame, The day was well nigh done!

Almost upon the western wave Rested the broad, bright Sun: When that strange shape drove suddenly Betwixt us and the Sun.

"And straight the Sun was flecked with bars, (Heaven's Mother send us grace!) As if through a dungeon grate he peered With broad and burning face.

"Alas! (thought I, and my heart beat loud) How fast she nears and nears!

Are those her sails that glance in the Sun, Like restless gossameres?

"Are those her ribs through which the Sun Did peer, as through a grate?

And is that Woman all her crew?

Is that a Death? and are there two?

Is Death that Woman's mate?

"The naked hull alongside came, And the twain were casting dice; 'The game is done! I've won, I've won!'

Quoth she, and whistles thrice.

"The Sun's rim dips; the stars rush out: At one stride comes the dark; With far-heard whisper o'er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark.

"The stars were dim and thick the night, The steersman's face by his lamp gleamed white, From the sails the dew did drip-- Till clomb above the eastern bar The horned Moon, with one bright star Within the nether tip.

"Four times fifty living men, (And I heard nor sigh nor groan,) With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, They dropped down one by one.

"The souls did from their bodies fly,-- They fled to bliss or woe!

And every soul, it pa.s.sed me by, Like the whizz of my cross-bow!

"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 upon the rotting sea, And drew my eyes away; I looked upon the rotting deck, And there the dead men lay.

"I looked to heaven, and tried to pray But or ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came, and made My heart as dry as dust.

"The moving Moon went up the sky, And nowhere did abide: Softly she was going up, And a star or two beside.

"Beyond the shadow of the ship, I watched the water-snakes: They moved in tracks of shining white, And when they reared, the elfish light Fell off in h.o.a.ry flakes.

"Within the shadow of the ship I watched their rich attire: Blue, glossy green, and velvet black, They coiled and swam; and every track Was a flash of golden fire.

"O happy living things! no tongue Their beauty might declare: A spring of love gushed from my heart, And I blessed them unaware: Sure my kind Saint took pity on me, And I blessed them unaware.

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

"And soon I heard a roaring wind: It did not come anear; But with its sound it shook the sails, That were so thin and sere.

"The loud wind never reached the ship, Yet now the ship moved on!

Beneath the lightning and the moon The dead men gave a groan.

"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.

"The helmsman steered, the ship moved on, Yet never a breeze up blew; The mariners all 'gan work the ropes, Where they were wont to do; They raised their limbs like lifeless tools-- We were a ghastly crew."

"I fear thee, ancient Mariner!"

"Be calm, thou Wedding-Guest!

'Twas not those souls that fled in pain, Which to their corses came again, But a troop of spirits blest.

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

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

Is this the hill? is this the kirk?