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b"Coleridge read by Classic Poetry Aloud:\\nhttp://www.classicpoetryaloud.com/\\n\\nGiving voice to the poetry of the past.\\n\\nThis reading is part of Classic Poetry Aloud's celebration of one year of poetry podcasting (that's over 200 readings!). Donations to support Classic Poetry Aloud for another year would be welcome, just visit http://classicpoetryaloud.wordpress.com/ and click the 'PayPal Donate' button.\\n\\n---------------------------------------------------\\n\\nKubla Khan\\nby Samuel Taylor Coleridge\\n\\n \\n IN Xanadu did Kubla Khan \\n A stately pleasure-dome decree: \\n Where Alph, the sacred river, ran \\n Through caverns measureless to man \\n Down to a sunless sea. \\n So twice five miles of fertile ground \\n With walls and towers were girdled round: \\nAnd there were gardens bright with sinuous rills \\nWhere blossom'd many an incense-bearing tree; \\nAnd here were forests ancient as the hills, \\nEnfolding sunny spots of greenery. \\n \\nBut O, that deep romantic chasm which slanted \\nDown the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! \\nA savage place! as holy and enchanted \\nAs e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted \\nBy woman wailing for her demon-lover! \\nAnd from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething, \\nAs if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing, \\nA mighty fountain momently was forced; \\nAmid whose swift half-intermitted burst \\nHuge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail, \\nOr chaffy grain beneath the thresher's flail: \\nAnd 'mid these dancing rocks at once and ever \\nIt flung up momently the sacred river. \\nFive miles meandering with a mazy motion \\nThrough wood and dale the sacred river ran, \\nThen reach'd the caverns measureless to man, \\nAnd sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean: \\nAnd 'mid this tumult Kubla heard from far \\nAncestral voices prophesying war! \\n \\n The shadow of the dome of pleasure \\n Floated midway on the waves; \\n Where was heard the mingled measure \\n From the fountain and the caves. \\nIt was a miracle of rare device, \\nA sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice! \\n \\n A damsel with a dulcimer \\n In a vision once I saw: \\n It was an Abyssinian maid, \\n And on her dulcimer she play'd, \\n Singing of Mount Abora. \\n Could I revive within me, \\n Her symphony and song, \\nTo such a deep delight 'twould win me, \\nThat with music loud and long, \\nI would build that dome in air, \\nThat sunny dome! those caves of ice! \\nAnd all who heard should see them there, \\nAnd all should cry, Beware! Beware! \\nHis flashing eyes, his floating hair! \\nWeave a circle round him thrice, \\n And close your eyes with holy dread, \\n For he on honey-dew hath fed, \\nAnd drunk the milk of Paradise."