Loved Cooleridge.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
PART I
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three.
‘By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp’st thou me?
The Bridegroom’s doors are opened wide,
And I am next of kin;
The guests are met, the feast is set:
May’st hear the merry din.’
He holds him with his skinny hand,
‘There was a ship,’ quoth he.
‘Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!’
Eftsoons his hand dropt he.
He holds him with his glittering eye—
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years’ child:
The Mariner hath his will.
....
PART II
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 mariner’s hollo!
And I had done a 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!
....
Complete poem....
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173253
My English teacher tried to introduce me (and the rest of class of course) to Cooleridge, didn’t stick. Then I discovered Iron Maiden and they taught me to appreciate Cooleridge. Which is probably when I started forming my opinion that the way we teach literature in high school actually teaches primarily teaches kids to hate literature.
Just taught my Senior AP class Mariner (and other Romantic Poetry) last week, doing Frankenstein this week. I really enjoy Brit. Lit. Romantic and Victorian eras. Then, of course, there’s Hamlet...