Thethickblackcloudwascleft,andstillTheMoonwasatitsside:
Likewatersshotfromsomehighcrag,Thelightningfellwithneverajag,Ariversteepandwide.
Theloudwindneverreachedtheship,Yetnowtheshipmovedon!
BeneaththelightningandtheMoonThedeadmengaveagroan.
Theygroaned,theystirred,theyalluprose,Norspake,normovedtheireyes;
Ithadbeenstrange,eveninadream,Tohaveseenthosedeadmenrise.
Thehelmsmansteered,theshipmovedon;
Yetneverabreezeupblew;
Themarinersall\'ganworktheropes,Weretheywerewonttodo:
Theyraisedtheirlimbslikelifelesstools
Wewereaghastlycrew.
Thebodyofmybrother\'sson,Stoodbyme,kneetoknee:
ThebodyandIpulledatonerope,Buthesaidnoughttome.
\"Ifearthee,ancientMariner!\"
Becalm,thouWedding—Guest!
\'Twasnotthosesoulsthatfledinpain,Whichtotheircorsescameagain,Butatroopofspiritsblest:
Forwhenitdawned——theydroppedtheirarms,Andclusteredroundthemast;
Sweetsoundsroseslowlythroughtheirmouths,Andfromtheirbodiespassed.
Around,around,fleweachsweetsound,ThendartedtotheSun;
Slowlythesoundscamebackagain,Nowmixed,nowonebyone.
Sometimesa—droppingfromtheskyIheardthesky—larksing;
Sometimesalllittlebirdsthatare,HowtheyseemedtofilltheseaandairWiththeirsweetjargoning!
Andnow\'twaslikeallinstruments,Nowlikealonelyflute;
Andnowitisanangel\'ssong,ThatmakestheHeavensbemute.
Itceased;yetstillthesailsmadeonApleasantnoisetillnoon,AnoiselikeofahiddenbrookIntheleafymonthofJune,ThattothesleepingwoodsallnightSingethaquiettune.
Tillnoonwequietlysailedon,Yetneverabreezedidbreathe:
Slowlyandsmoothlywenttheship,Movedonwardfrombeneath.
Underthekeelninefathomdeep,Fromthelandofmistandsnow,Thespiritslid:anditwasheThatmadetheshiptogo.
Thesailsatnoonleftofftheirtune,Andtheshipstoodstillalso.
TheSun,rightupabovethemast,Hadfixedhertotheocean:
Butinaminuteshe\'ganstir,Withashortuneasymotion
BackwardsandforwardshalfherlengthWithashortuneasymotion.
Thenlikeapawinghorseletgo,Shemadeasuddenbound:
Itflungthebloodintomyhead,AndIfelldowninaswound.
HowlonginthatsamefitIlay,Ihavenottodeclare;
Buteremylivinglifereturned,IheardandinmysouldiscernedTwoVOICESintheair.
\"Isithe?\"quothone,\"Isthistheman?
Byhimwhodiedoncross,Withhiscruelbowhelaidfulllow,TheharmlessAlbatross.
\"ThespiritwhobidethbyhimselfInthelandofmistandsnow,HelovedthebirdthatlovedthemanWhoshothimwithhisbow.\"
Theotherwasasoftervoice,Assoftashoney—dew:
Quothhe,\"Themanhathpenancedone,Andpenancemorewilldo.\"
PARTTHESIXTH.
FIRSTVOICE.
Buttellme,tellme!speakagain,Thysoftresponserenewing
Whatmakesthatshipdriveonsofast?
WhatistheOCEANdoing?
SECONDVOICE.
Stillasaslavebeforehislord,TheOCEANhathnoblast;
HisgreatbrighteyemostsilentlyUptotheMooniscast
Ifhemayknowwhichwaytogo;
ForsheguideshimsmoothorgrimSee,brother,see!howgraciouslyShelookethdownonhim.
FIRSTVOICE.
Butwhydrivesonthatshipsofast,Withoutorwaveorwind?
SECONDVOICE.
Theairiscutawaybefore,Andclosesfrombehind.
Fly,brother,fly!morehigh,morehighOrweshallbebelated:
Forslowandslowthatshipwillgo,WhentheMariner\'stranceisabated.