Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. I. Early Poetry: Chaucer to Donne

John Lyly (1555?–1606)

Songs from Plays: Pan’s Song (from Midas)

PAN’S Syrinx was a girl indeed,

Though now she’s turned into a reed.

From that dear reed Pan’s pipe doth come,

A pipe that strikes Apollo dumb;

Nor flute, nor lute, nor gittern can

So chant it, as the pipe of Pan.

Cross-gartered swains, and dairy girls,

With faces smug and round as pearls,

When Pan’s shrill pipe begins to play,

With dancing wear out night and day;

The bag-pipe drone his hum lays by

When Pan sounds up his minstrelsy.

His minstrelsy! O base! This quill

Which at my mouth with wind I fill

Puts me in mind though her I miss

That still my Syrinx’ lips I kiss.