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 his knee: 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 Light-house 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.

Higher and higher every day, Till over the mast at noon— The Wedding-Guest heareth the torment Of the storm, or the sense of gloom.

“He prayeth well, who loveth well Both man and bird and beast. He prayeth best, who loveth best, All things both great and small; For the dear God who loveth us, He made and loveth all.”

• Samuel Taylor Coleridge