The Sun now rose upon the right:
       Out of the sea came he,
       Still hid in mist, and on the left
       Went down into the sea.
       And the good south wind still blew behind
       But no sweet bird did follow,
       Nor any day for food or play
       Came to the mariners' hollo!
       And I had done an hellish thing,
       And it would work 'em woe:
       For all averred, I had killed the bird
       That made the breeze to blow.
       Ah wretch! said they, the bird to slay
       That made the breeze to blow!
       Nor dim nor red, like God's own head,
       The glorious Sun uprist:
       Then all averred, I had killed the bird
       That brought the fog and mist.
       'Twas right, said they, such birds to slay,
       That bring the fog and mist.
       The fair breeze blew, the white foam flew,
       The furrow followed free:
       We were the first that ever burst
       Into that silent sea.
       Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down,
       'Twas sad as sad could be;
       And we did speak only to break
       The silence of the sea!
       All in a hot and copper sky,
       The bloody Sun, at noon,
       Right up above the mast did stand,
       No bigger than the Moon.
       Day after day, day after day,
       We stuck, nor breath nor motion;
       As idle as a painted ship
       Upon a painted ocean.
       Water, water, every where,
       And all the boards did shrink;
       Water, water, every where,
       Nor any drop to drink.
       The very deep did rot: O Christ!
       That ever this should be!
       Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
       Upon the slimy sea.
       About, about, in reel and rout
       The death-fires danced at night;
       The water, like a witch's oils,
       Burnt green, and blue and white.
       And some in dreams assured were
       Of the spirit that plagued us so:
       Nine fathom deep he had followed us
       From the land of mist and snow.
       And every tongue, through utter drought,
       Was withered at the root;
       We could not speak, no more than if
       We had been choked with soot.
       Ah! well a-day! what evil looks
       Had I from old and young!
       Instead of the cross, the Albatross
       About my neck was hung.