The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. ‘By thy long grey beard and glittering eye, Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?

The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone: He cannot choose but go; And thus spake on that ancient man, The bright-eyed Mariner.

‘The ship was cheered, the harbor cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the lighthouse top.

The Sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Went down into the sea. … (excerpt)

• Samuel Taylor Coleridge