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The stanza to me came across as an interpretation of a woman on a ship, which was bad luck, but the figureheads were a form of protection. I made a blog post about ship figureheads in 2020. https://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/sassyass_645738/943362
posted by
Sherri_G
on January 10, 2026 at 10:49 AM
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Women on ships have been considered bad luck for centuries, but female ship figureheads often displayed red lips and gold hair, making them appear as goddesses. The other mysterious mistresses of the sea like mermaids have according to legend drove sailors to drink. ⛵
posted by
Sherri_G
on January 10, 2026 at 10:46 AM
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From the awesome sign of seeing the albatross, meaning good luck, to the killing of the albatross bring such dread on the voyage. The albatross has always been a keen thing for me. Mary Shelley was a close friend of Coleridge and she mentions the albatross in her book, 'Frankenstein', probably as a nod to him. Other references I remember it showing up as a reference to Coleridge were 'Moby Dick' and 'Twenty-thousand Leagues Under The Sea.' I remember it was alluded to in another poem but the name escapes me. How glorious to write something and then have it show up in several other works. Kudos to Coleridge!
posted by
sam444
on January 10, 2026 at 9:51 AM
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