Cover via Goodreads
Rating: 4/5 stars.
I read this as an introduction to Frakenstein – I had trouble getting into the story, but eventually let go of reality and immersed myself in Coleridge’s phenomenal writing.
“Water, water, everywhere,
And all the boards did shrink;
Water, water, everywhere
Nor any drop to drink.”
My peers joked that Coleridge wrote The Rime of the Ancient Mariner while under an opium-induced haze. I think the drug may have affected his perspective when crafting this, but I doubt he wrote the entire poem under the influence. If he did, I’m jealous.
“The very deep did rot: O Christ!
That ever this should be!
Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs
Upon the slimy sea.”
I shivered upon my first time reading that – so gross, yet so beautifully written. I’m glad my English teacher had us read this despite that it wasn’t in the required curriculum.
the quiet voice 
This poem is brilliant once you submerse yourself into the supernature worlds that Coleridge creates! Have you read his poem Kubla Khan? He wrote that under the influence of opium! And it was never finished because he was interrupted when writing it! Soooo intriguing! x
No I have not, but it’s on my to-read list now. I’m not a fan of incomplete works, but I’ll definitely check it out if not just to see how drugs can affect one’s writing – thanks for the recommendation! (: