Water, water, everywhere And all the boards did shrink Water, water, everywhere nor any drop to drink The very deep did rot: O Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs upon the slimy sea About, about, in reel and rout the death-fires danced at night The water, like a witch's óis Burnt green, and blue, and white And some in dreams assured were of the spirit that plagued us so Nine fathom deep he had followed us, from the land of mist and snow A speck, a mist, a shape, I wist! And still it neared and neared As if it dodged a water-sprite, it plunged and tacked and veered With throats unslaked, with black lips baked We could nor laugh nor wail Through utter drought all dumb we stood! I bit my arm, I sucked the blood, and cried A sail! A sail! Alas! (Thought I, and my heart beat loud) How fast she nears and nears! Are those her sails that glance in the Sun Like restless gossameres? Are those her ribs through which the Sun did peer As through a grate? And is that woman all her crew? Is that a death? And are there two? Is death that woman's mate? Her lips were red, her looks were free, her locks were yellow as gold Her skin was as white as leprosy The nightmare life-in-death was she Who thicks man's blood with cold The Sun's rim dips, the stars rush out: At one stride comes the dark 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 above the eastern bar the horned Moon With one bright star within the nether tip 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 whizz of my crossbow!