The rock shone bright, the kirk no less, That stands above the rock : The moonlight steeped in silentness The steady weathercock. And the bay was white with silent light 480 The angelic spirits leave the dead bodies, And appear in their own forms of light. Full many shapes, that shadows were, In crimson colours came. A little distance from the prow Those crimson shadows were: 485 I turned my eyes upon the deck— Oh, Christ! what saw I there! Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat, And, by the holy rood! A man all light, a seraph-man, On every corse there stood. This seraph-band, each waved his hand, It was a heavenly sight! They stood as signals to the land Each one a lovely light; This seraph-band, each waved his hand, No voice did they impart No voice; but oh! the silence sank Like music on my heart. 490 495 He singeth loud his godly hymns That he makes in the wood. He'll shrieve my soul, he'll wash away PART VII. 510 The hermit of the wood, Approacheth the ship with wonder. THIS hermit good lives in that wood How loudly his sweet voice he rears! He loves to talk with marineres That come from a far countree. He kneels at morn, and noon, and eve— He hath a cushion plump: It is the moss that wholly hides The rotted old oak-stump. The skiff-boat neared: I heard them talk, “Why, this is strange, I trow! 515 520 Where are those lights so many and fair, 525 "Strange, by my faith!" the hermit said- The planks look warped! and see those sails, 530 I never saw aught like to them, Unless perchance it were Brown skeletons of leaves that lag My forest-brook along; When the ivy-tod is heavy with snow, 535 And the owlet whoops to the wolf below, That eats the she-wolf's young." "Dear Lord! it hath a fiendish look (The pilot made reply) I am a-feared"—"Push on, push on!" 540 Said the hermit cheerily. The boat came closer to the ship, But I nor spake nor stirred; The boat came close beneath the ship, And straight a sound was heard. Under the water it rumbled on, Still louder and more dread: It reached the ship, it split the bay; The ship went down like lead. 545 The ship suddenly sinketh. Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound, 550 The ancient Which sky and ocean smote, Like one that hath been seven days drowned My body lay afloat; But swift as dreams, myself I found Within the pilot's boat. 555 Mariner is saved in the pilot's boat. At its nearer approach, it A certain shape, I wist. A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared and neared: As if it dodged a water-sprite, 155 With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, seemeth him We could nor laugh nor wail; to be a ship; and at a dear ransom he freeth his speech from the bonds of thirst. Through utter drought all dumb we stood! I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, And cried, A sail! a sail! 160 With throats unslaked, with black lips baked, |