Rime of the Mystic Mariner

Rime of the Mystic Mariner

It began when ancient man
Took a stand upon the land
And as far as he could see
Said, “This all belongs to me”
Built a castle and a town
Wore a tassel and a crown
Till the soldiers came around
And they burned it to the ground

I was a young Carpenter
Raised and taught by my father
Watching them behead the king
Rolling off the guillotine
Many voices echoing
“The king is dead; long live the king!”
Right there in the burning Sun
We saw the sword fall to the gun

My whole family had to flee
We were scattered everywhere
I took to the endless sea
With a thousand-mile stare
It turned out the captain lied
It seems we'd all been shanghaied
Must have been our destiny
We carried out a mutiny

Strung that monster from the main
Watched him twist in mortal pain
Fighting to take his last breath
Silenced by the hand of death
Days and nights of celebration
Issuing a proclamation
Military domination
Set our sights on all creation

Took the ship, re-christened her
Then, the Mystic Mariner
Set out on a southern reach
Warmer water perfect beach
Stayed down under for a while
Convicted us without a trial
Came down to a split decision
Stay free man, or life in prison

We prepared to sail away
There was still a price to pay
Had to sacrifice the priest
To gain our passage to the East
Our Escape was nearly flawless
Listen to the Four Winds call us
Somewhere out there on the sea
The Mariner make history

Sunrises and evenflows
Hopping archipelagos
Hold her steady as she goes
“Land Ho!” the Galapagos
There were creatures everywhere
On land, in water, in the air
There I met a native girl
Crown of flowers in her hair

Then she took me by the hand
By the fire on the stand
No more long, cold nights alone
Make this paradise your home
Thought about it all night long
Held her close until the dawn
Come the morning we were gone
Why must I keep moving on?

On this voyage you find out
What your life is all about
You'll see things you've never seen
o places you've never been
Just when you think that's the end
You sail off around the bend
To Grendel you must attend
Into hell you must descend

Three days and nights, you’re down the well
Bodies lying where they fell
You're alone and fighting still
Grendel circles for the kill
Red light flashing, fire alarm
Bare hands, you tear off his arms
Monster limps back to his lair
Bleeds to death way down in there
When it's time to end the fight
You ascend into the light
No longer a prisoner
Back on the Mystic Mariner

Come the bright and early morn
Sailing down around Cape Horn
Decidedly romantic
Pacific turns to Atlantic
Southern breeze, we set a course
Eastern seaboard, heading north
Between time and oblivious
Sail into the Caribbean

Devil becomes the Intruder
Windward side of Bermuda
Battered and hurricane tossed
Mariner hopelessly lost
Horror, terror, disbelief
Good Ship Founders on a reef
Tears her wooden hill in two
Lost 10 members of her crew

Another night came falling down
Islanders were gathered round
Paddling wooden canoes
Set themselves to our rescue
Pulled the Mariner from the waves
Found the bodies, dug the grave
10 men's names were carved in stone
10 more Sailors going home

Ship's Bell chimed just 10 more times
Silenced then, forever
Captain's Log wrote 10 more lines
Captured to the letter
We worked to rebuild the ship
Made her even better
Her soul was still on fire in her
Still the Mystic Mariner