poem from Serenity by jcw

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

poem from Serenity

POSTED BY: JCW
UPDATED: Saturday, March 18, 2006 08:10
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Saturday, March 18, 2006 5:03 AM

Hi, does anyone know the name of the poem Mal talks about in Serenity? (Albotros and it's good luck)

thanks

No power in the 'Verse can stop me

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 5:10 AM

NUCLEARDAY

Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, IIRC... had to read it in high school, but I think I've forgotten most of it by now.

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You can take my hope when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 5:12 AM

SEVENPERCENT

I believe he's referencing "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," by Samuel Taylor Coleredge (written shortly before the year 1800, I think; I could look it up, I suppose, but don't really feel like it

).

The general summary is that an albatross was the symbol of good luck, and a ship captain (the Mariner) kills one following his ship with a crossbow shot. He is cursed by God, and the albatross is hung around his neck as a symbol of what he has done. He loses his crew and ship to the curse before he reaches understanding and the curse is lifted. His penalty is that he must travel the world telling his story to those who need to hear it, and we are hearing it from him as we read it as he tells it to a guest at a wedding.

It's an amazing piece, and I can't do it justice with my summary, so I encourage you to read it.

Edited to add: Lots of parallells to Serenity, IMHO.

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He looked bigger when I couldn't see him.

Anyone wanting to continue a discussion off board is welcome to email me - check bio for details.

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 5:50 AM

DERANGEDMILK

Its a rather long poem, but here is the first part where the albatross is shot. After that things pretty much go down hill.

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, greybeard 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.

The wedding-guest sat on a stone:
He cannot chose but hear;
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed mariner.

"The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared,
Merrily did we drop
Below the kirk, below the hill,
Below the lighthouse top.

The sun came up upon the left,
Out of the sea came he!
And he shone bright, and on the right
Went down into the sea.

Higher and higher every day,
Till over the mast at noon-"
The Wedding-guest here beat his breast,
For he heard the loud bassoon.

The bride hath paced into the hall,
Red as a rose is she;
Nodding their heads before her goes
The merry minstrelsy.

The Wedding-Guest he beat his breast.
Yet he cannot choose but hear:
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.

"And now the Storm-blast came, and he
Was tyrannous and strong:
He struck with his o'ertaking wings,
And chased us south along.

With sloping masts and dipping prow,
As who pursued with yell and blow
Still treads the shadow of his foe
And forward bends his head,
The ship drove fast, loud roared the blast,
And southward aye we fled.

And now there came both mist and snow
And it grew wondrous cold:
And ice, mast-high, came floating by,
As green as emerald.

And through the drifts the snowy clifts
Did send a dismal sheen:
Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken -
The ice was all between.

The ice was here, the ice was there,
The ice was all around:
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a swound!

At length did cross and Albatross,
Thorough the fog it came;
As if it had been a Christian soul,
We hailed it in God's name.

It ate the food it ne'er had eat,
And round and round it flew.
The ice did split with a thunder-fit;
The helmsman steered us through!

And a good south wind sprung up behind;
The albatross did follow,
And every day, for food or play,
Came to the mariner's hollo!

In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud,
It perched for vespers nine;
Whiles all the night, through fog-smoke white,
Glimmered the white moonshine."

"God save thee, ancient Mariner:
From the fiends, that plague thee thus! -
Why look'st thou so?" - "With my cross-bow
I shot the Albatross."

"Storms getting worse."
"We'll pass through it soon enough."

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 6:55 AM

JCW

thanks. will read it fully first chance i get

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 7:13 AM

EVILDINOSAUR

"Yes, I've read a poem, try not to faint" lmao I love that scene

"Haha, mine is an evil laugh."

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Saturday, March 18, 2006 8:10 AM

JCW