"Her lips were red, her looks were free, Her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, The Night-mare Life-in-Death was she, Who thicks man's blood with cold.
"The naked hulk alongside came, And the twain were casting dice; 'The game is done! I've won, I've won!'[39-26] Quoth she, and whistles thrice.
"The Sun's rim dips: the stars rush out: At one stride comes the dark;[40-27] With far-heard whisper, o'er the sea, Off shot the spectre-bark.
"We listened and looked sideways up! Fear at my heart, as at a cup, My life-blood seemed to sip! The stars were dim, and thick the night, The steersman's face by his lamp gleamed white; From the sails the dew did drip-- Till clomb[40-28] above the eastern bar The hornèd Moon,[40-29] with one bright star Within the nether tip.
"One after one, by the star-dogged Moon, Too quick for groan or sigh, Each turned his face with a ghastly pang, And cursed me with his eye.
"Four times fifty living men, (And I heard nor sigh nor groan) With heavy thump, a lifeless lump, They dropped down one by one.
"The souls did from their bodies fly,-- They fled to bliss or woe! And every soul, it passed me by, Like the whiz of my cross-bow!"
"I fear thee, ancient Mariner! I fear thy skinny hand! And thou art long, and lank and brown. As is the ribbed sea-sand.[41-30]
"I fear thee and thy glittering eye, And thy skinny hand so brown." "Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-guest! This body dropt not down.
"Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide, wide sea! And never a saint took pity on My soul in agony.
"The many men, so beautiful! And they all dead did lie: And a thousand, thousand slimy things Lived on; and so did I.
"I looked upon the rotting sea, And drew my eyes away; I looked upon the rotting deck, And there the dead men lay.
"I looked to heaven, and tried to pray But or ever a prayer had gusht, A wicked whisper came, and made My heart as dry as dust.
"I closed my lids, and kept them close, And the balls like pulses beat; For the sky and the sea, and the sea and the sky,[42-31] Lay like a load on my weary eye, And the dead were at my feet.
"The cold sweat melted from their limbs, Nor rot nor reek did they: The look with which they looked on me Had never passed away.