The poem is written in the style of old English ballads using archaic language. It begins with an old sailor stopping a man walking to a wedding. The Mariner tells the man a strange tale of a disastrous voyage years ago when his ship became ice-bound in Antarctic waters. He describes how an albatross appeared accompanied by good wind which helped free the ship. Then a look of horror distorts the Mariner's face as he confesses that he shot the albatross with his crossbow. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner has been adapted to other media, and is frequently referenced in popular culture.