Prev | Current Page 104 | Next

Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850

"Lyrical Ballads, with Other Poems, 1800, Volume 1"




_The ANCIENT MARINER_.
_A POET'S REVERIE_.
I.
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three:
"By thy long grey beard and thy glittering eye
Now wherefore stoppest me?"
"The Bridegroom's doors are open'd wide
And I am next of kin;
The Guests are met, the Feast is set,--
May'st hear the merry din."
But still he holds the wedding guest--
"There was a Ship, quoth he--"
"Nay, if thou'st got a laughsome tale,
Mariner! come with me."
He holds him with his skinny hand,
Quoth he, there was a Ship--
"Now get thee hence, thou grey-beard Loon
Or my Staff shall make thee skip."
He holds him with his glittering eye--
The wedding guest stood still
And listens like a three year's child;
The Mariner hath his will.
The wedding-guest sate on a stone,
He cannot chuse but hear:
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.
The Ship was cheer'd, the Harbour clear'd--
Merrily did we drop
Below the Kirk, below the Hill,
Below the Light-house top.


Pages:
92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116