What a splendid sculpture based on Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Apparently Coleridge was inspired to write the poem as he looked down at the harbour of Watchet. The sculpture is by Alan Herriot, 2003.
The sculpture depicts the part of poem when he has not yet paid his penance for the merciless killing of the friendly albatross that flew near the lonely ship. The dead albatross hangs round his neck as a gruesome medal of his callous action. His ship’s crew are yet to suffer a harrowing fate brought on by his merciless shot. He is yet to find his redemption.
In the poem, the old, wizened sailor recounts his story to a guest at a wedding. And passes on the wisdom :
‘He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small,
For the dear God who loveth us,
He made and loveth all.’
The wisdom of those words is what we still need to hear.
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