# The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - Author: [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-taylor-coleridge.md) - Quotes: 51 - Book page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-rime-of-the-ancient-mariner ## Quotes > I fear thee, ancient Mariner! > > I fear thy skinny hand! > > And thou art long, and lank, and brown, > > As is the ribbed sea-sand. > "Ha! ha!" quoth he, "full plain I see, > > The Devil knows how to row." > Alone, alone, all, all alone, > > Alone on a wide wide sea! > > And never a saint took pity on > > My soul in agony. > Farewell, farewell! but this I tell > > To thee, thou Wedding-Guest! > > ''' He prayeth well, who loveth well > > Both man and bird and beast. > We were a ghastly crew. > 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 hoary flakes. > Is this the hill? is this the kirk? > > Is this mine own countree? > So lonely 't was, that God himself > > Scarce seemed there to be. > The moving Moon went up the sky, > > And no where did abide: > > Softly she was going up, > > And a star or two beside. > No voice; but oh! the silence sank > > Like music on my heart. > It ceased; yet still the sails made on > > A pleasant noise till noon, > > A noise like of a hidden brook > > In the leafy month of June, > > That to the sleeping woods all night > > Singeth a quiet tune. > I pass, like night, from land to land; > > I have strange power of speech; > > That moment that his face I see, > > I know the man that must hear me: > > To him my tale I teach. > The self-same 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. > 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. > 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. > 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 man hath penance done, > > And penance more will do. > 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. > And the owlet whoops to the wolf below, > > That eats the she-wolf's young. > The many men, so beautiful! > > And they all dead did lie: > > And a thousand thousand slimy things > > Lived on; and so did I. > 'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man?' > > By him who died on the cross, > > With his cruel bow he laid full low > > The harmless Albatross > 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 spirit who bideth by himself > > In the land of mist and snow, > > He loved the bird that loved the man > > That shot him with his bow. > 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 hornèd Moon, with one bright star > > Within the nether tip. > 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 fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, > > The furrow followed free: > > We were the first that ever burst > > Into that silent sea. > Water, water, every where, > > And all the boards did shrink; > > Water, water, every where, > > Nor any drop to drink. > "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. > At length did cross an Albatross, > > Thorough the fog it came; > > As if it had been a Christian soul, > > We hailed it in God's name. > The bride hath paced into the hall, > > Red as a rose is she. > It is an ancient Mariner, > > And he stoppeth one of three. > > "By thy long gray beard and glittering eye, > > Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?" > The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, > > Merrily did we drop > > Below the kirk, below the hill, > > Below the light-house top. > "God 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 now there came both mist and snow, > > And it grew wondrous cold: > > And ice, mast-high, came floating by, > > As green as emerald. > And I had done an 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! > One after one, by the star-dogged Moon, > > Too quick for groan or sigh, > > Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, > > And cursed me with his eye. > I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, > > And cried, A sail! a sail! > Without a breeze, without a tide, > > She steadies with upright keel. > He holds him with his glittering eye — > > The Wedding-Guest stood still, > > And listens like a three years child: > > The Mariner hath his will. > Instead of the cross, the Albatross > > About my neck was hung. > The very deep did rot: O Christ! > > That ever this should be! > > Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs > > Upon the slimy sea. > Her lips were red, her looks were free, > > Her locks were yellow as gold: > > Her skin was as white as leprosy, > > The Night-Mare Life-in-Death was she, > > Who thicks man's blood with cold. > About, about, in reel and rout > > The death fires danced at night. > We listened and looked sideways up! > > Fear at my heart, as at a cup, > > My life-blood seemed to sip! > The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide, > > And I am next of kin; > > The guests are met, the feast is set: > > May'st hear the merry din. > ( In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud, > > It perched for vespers nine; > > Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white, > > Glimmered the white Moon-shine. > The Wedding-Guest here beat his breast, > > For he heard the loud bassoon. > Day after day, day after day, > > We stuck, nor breath nor motion; > > As idle as a painted ship > > Upon a painted ocean.