Part VII: The ship sinks but he is saved by a Pilot, the Pilot’s son and the Hermit. The Pilot and his son are a tad on the crazy side, but the Hermit hears the mariner’s confession. To redeem himself, he is compelled to wander and tell his tale.

As the Pilot, his son and the Hermit approach, a rumble is heard under the water. The ship splits and sinks, and they rescue the drowning mariner. Under the water it rumbled on, Still louder and more dread: It reached the ship, it split the bay; The ship went down like lead. Stunned by that loud and dreadful sound, Which sky and ocean smote, Like one that hath been seven days drowned My body lay afloat; But swift as dreams, myself I found Within the Pilot's boat.

When they reach land he begs the Hermit to shrieve him. I And now, all in my own countree, I stood on the firm land! The Hermit stepped forth from the boat, And scarcely he could stand. "O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy man!" The Hermit crossed his brow. "Say quick," quoth he, "I bid thee say -- What manner of man art thou?"

The sounds of merriment come from the wedding party within. He tells how sweet it is for him to have company after being alone on the sea and tells the wedding guest to love all thing both great and small. But in the garden-bower the bride And bride-maids singing are: And hark the little vesper bell, Which biddeth me to prayer! O Wedding-Guest! this soul hath been Alone on a wide wide sea: So lonely 'twas, that God himself Scarce seemed there to be.

The wedding guest leaves and rose the next morn wiser and sadder. The Mariner, whose eye is bright, Whose beard with age is hoar, Is gone: and now the Wedding-Guest Turned from the bridegroom's door. He went like one that hath been stunned, And is of sense forlorn: A sadder and a wiser man, He rose the morrow morn.