"'Brown skeletons of leaves that lag My forest-brook along; When the ivy-tod[60] 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 afeared,'[61]--'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. 545 "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. "Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound, 550 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 "Upon the whirl, where sank the ship, The boat spun round and round; And all was still, save that the hill Was telling of the sound. "I moved my lips --the Pilot shrieked 560 And fell down in a fit; The holy Hermit raised his eyes, And prayed where he did sit. "I took the oars: the Pilot's boy, Who now doth crazy go, 565 Laughed loud and long, and all the while His eyes went to and fro. 'Ha! Ha!' quoth he, 'full plain I see, The Devil knows how to row.' "And now, all in my own countree, 570 I stood on the firm land! The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, And scarcely he could stand. "'O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!' The Hermit crossed his brow.[62] 575 'Say quick,' quoth he, 'I bid thee say-- What manner of man art thou?' "Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenched With a woeful agony, Which forced me to begin my tale; 580 And then it left me free. "Since then, at an uncertain hour, That agony returns: And till my ghastly tale is told, This heart within me burns. 585 "I pass, like night, from land to land; I have strange power of speech; That moment that his face I see, I know the man that must hear me: To him my tale I teach. 590 "What loud uproar bursts from that door! The wedding-guests are there: But in the garden-bower the bride And bride-maids singing are: And hark the little vesper bell,[63] 595 Which biddeth me to prayer. "O Wedding-Guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely 't was, that God himself Scarce seemed there to be. 600 "O sweeter than the marriage feast, 'T is sweeter far to me, To walk together to the kirk With a goodly company!--