• Who nearer Nature’s life would truly come
    Must nearest come to him of whom I speak;
    He all kinds knew,—the vocal and the dumb;
    Masterful in genius was he, and unique,
    Patient, sagacious, tender, frolicsome.
    This Concord Pan would oft his whistle take,
    And forth from wood and fen, field, hill, and lake,
    Trooping around him in their several...

  • We, sighing, said, “Our Pan is dead;
      His pipe hangs mute beside the river;
      Around it wistful sunbeams quiver,
    But Music’s airy voice is fled.
    Spring mourns as for untimely frost;
      The bluebird chants a requiem;
      The willow-blossom waits for him;
    The Genius of the wood is lost.”

    Then from the flute, untouched by hands,...