DESCRIPTION:
The first section of the epic poem. The following excerpted from Colerdige's gloss of the poem.

An ancient Mariner meeteth three Gallants bidden to a wedding feast, and detaineth one straight away. The Wedding-Guest is spell-bound by the eye of the old seafaring man, and constrained to hear his tale. The Mariner tells how the ship sailed southward with a good wind and fair weather, till it reached the line. The Wedding-Guest heareth the bridal music; but the Mariner continueth his tale. The ship driven by a storm toward the south pole, the land of ice, and of fearful sounds, where no living thing was to be seen. Till a great sea-bird called the Albatross, came through the snow-fog, and was received with great joy and hospitality. And lo! the Albatross proveth a bird of good omen and followeth the ship as it returned northward through fog and fleeting ice. The ancient Mariner inhospitably killed the pious bird of good omen.