PART V. "O sleep, it is a gentle thing To Mary-queen the praise be given, The silly buckets on the deck That had so long remained, I dreamt that they were filled with dew, And when I awoke it rained. My lips were wet, my throat was cold, I moved and could not feel my limbs, I thought that I had died in sleep, And soon I heard a roaring wind, did not come anear; But with its sound it shook the sails The upper aîr burst into life, To and fro they were hurried about; The wan stars danced between. And the coming wind did roar more loud; And the sails did sigh like sedge: And the rain poured down from one black cloud, The moon was at its edge. The thick black cloud was cleft, and still The moon was at its side; Like waters shot from some high crag, The lightning fell with never a jag The loud wind never reached the ship, They groaned, they stirred, they all uprose, The helmsman steered, the ship moved on; Where they were wont to do: We were a ghastly crew. The body of my brother's son Stood by me knee to knee: The body and I pulled at one rope, But he said nought to me." "I fear thee, Ancient Mariner!" "Be calm, thou wedding-guest! "Twas not those souls, that fled in pain, Which to their corses came again, But a troop of spirits blest: For when it dawned-they dropped their arms, And clustered round the mast: Sweet sounds rose slowly through their mouths, And from their bodies passed. Around, around, flew each sweet sound, Then darted to the sun : Slowly the sounds came back again Sometimes a-dropping from the sky And now 'twas like all instruments, That makes the heavens be mute. It ceased: yet still the sails made on A noise like of a hidden brook In the leafy month of June, Till noon we silently sailed on, Yet never a breeze did breathe: Slowly and smoothly went the ship, Moved onward from beneath. Under the keel nine fathom deep The spirit slid, and it was He That made the ship to go. The sails at noon left off their tune, The sun right up above the mast Had fixed her to the ocean : But in a minute she 'gan stir With a short uneasy motionBackwards and forwards half her length, With a short uneasy motion. Then, like a pawing horse let go, How long in that same fit I lay, 'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man? The spirit who bideth by himself In the land of mist and snow, He loved the bird that loved the man The other was a softer voice, As soft as honey dew: Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done, And penance more will do.'” PART VI. FIRST VOICE. "But tell me, tell me! speak again, Thy soft response renewing— SECOND VOICE. 'Still as a slave before his lord, If he may know which way to go, FIRST VOICE. 'But why drives on that ship so fast Without or wave or wind?' SECOND VOICE. 'The air is cut away before, And closes from behind. Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high, For slow and slow that ship will go, When the Mariner's trace is abated.' I woke, and we were sailing on As in a gentle weather: "Twas night, calm night, the moon was high · The dead men stood together. 0 2 |