Yes, while I stood and gazed, my temples And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean: bare, And 'mid this tumult Kubla heard from far And shot my being through earth, sea, and air, Possessing all things with intensest love, O Liberty! my spirit felt thee there. 105 He holds him with his skinny hand, he. The Wedding- bound by the eye and con strained to hear his tale. The Mariner tells how the ship sailed southward with a good wind and fair weather till it reached the Line. The Wedding Guest heareth the bridal music; but the Mariner con tinueth his tale. The wedding-guest he beat his breast, "There was a ship," quoth Yet he cannot choose but ΙΟ "Hold off! unhand me, graybeard loon!" hear; And thus spake on that ancient man, Eftsoons his hand dropt he. The bright-eyed Mariner: The bright-eyed Mariner. 20 The ship drove fast, loud a storm toward the south pole. The land of ice, and of fearful 55 sounds where no snowy clifts Did send a dismal sheen: Nor shapes of men nor beasts we kenThe ice was all between. "The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: 60 It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound! living thing was to be seen. "At length did cross an Till a great sea Albatross: Thorough the fog it came: bird, called the Albatross, came through the snow fog, and was re As if it had been a Christian ceived with great soul, 35 We name. 65 joy and hospitality. hailed it in God's "It ate the food it ne'er For all averred, I had had eat, flew. The ice did split with a The helmsman steered us 70 His shipmates cry thee thus! 80 blow. Ah wretch! said they, the "Nor dim nor red, like The glorious sun uprist: Then all averred, I had plices in the crime. killed the bird That brought the fog and mist. 100 'Twas right, said they, such That bring the fog and mist. "The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew, 105 "Down dropt the breeze, The ship hath been suddenly becalmed. the sails dropt down, 'Twas sad as sad could be; The silence of the sea! 110 "All in a hot and copper sky, The bloody sun, at noon, No bigger than the moon. 115 "Day after day, day after As idle as a painted ship "Water, water, everywhere, And the Albatross begins to be "And I had done a hellish And all the boards did avenged. out against the an- woe; shrink; Nor any drop to drink. |