THE RIME OF THE ANCYENT MARINERE-2

II.

The Sun came up upon the right,

Out of the Sea came he;

And broad as a weft upon the left

Went down into the Sea.

And the good south wind still blew behind,

But no sweet Bird did follow

Ne any day for food or play

Came to the Marineres hollo!

And I had done an hellish thing

And it would work em woe:

For all averrd, I had killd the Bird

That made the Breeze to blow.

Ne dim ne red, like Gods own head,

The glorious Sun uprist:

Then all averrd, I had killd the Bird

That brought the fog and mist.

Twas right, said they, such birds to slay

That bring the fog and mist.

The breezes blew, the white foam ?ew,

The furrow followd free:

We were the ?rst that ever burst

Into that silent Sea.

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.

All in a hot and copper sky

The bloody sun at noon,

Right up above the mast did stand,

No bigger than the moon.

Day after day, day after day,

We stuck, ne breath ne motion,

As idle as a painted Ship

Upon a painted Ocean.

Water, water, every where

And all the boards did shrink;

Water, water, every where,

Ne any drop to drink.

The very deeps did rot: O Christ!

That ever this should be!

Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs

Upon the slimy Sea.

About, about, in reel and rout

The Death-?res dancd at night;

The water, like a witchs oils,

Burnt green and blue and white.

And some in dreams assured were

Of the Spirit that plagued us so:

Nine fathom deep he had followd us

From the Land of Mist and Snow.

And every tongue thro utter drouth

Was witherd at the root;

We could not speak no more than if

We had been choked with soot.

Ah wel-a-day! what evil looks

Had I from old and young;

Instead of the Cross the Albatross

About my neck was hung.