The Harsh hands of time have not yet
Worn these ruins down. Alone, before
Them I sit by Nature’s hearth in bliss,
Thoughtful of the past, those days of yore.
At peace with myself, the future yet to come.

Yet alone, I am not. By distant sound
I heard the reckless piper playing fast,
Pursued by laughter of Nymphs in water.
To wonder’s delight, how long could it last?
“Who is there?”, but no answer I receive.

The stars, to my advantage, lent me skill as well,
To the strange piper, I played my pipe parallel.
He who blew before, a silence did become,
As I repeated my refrain, my soul began to swell,
And to my surprise, he appeared before me.

It was great god Pan! Of cloven feet,
As man, as goat, he trampled up the hill.
“Piper, you play it well, but as well as me,
I cannot tell!” He pours a horn to its fill,
“to thee, I drink, as we compete our song”.

To judge our merits, seven nymphs all appear,
Each with a face that shines like the sun,
All clad in furs and wrapped with vines,
And I wished for each to come undone!
In thoughtless actions I then gave my consent.

As the master of the pipe, he begins his song,
One which is writ in Love and full delight.
The nymphs all smile and cheer him on,
While I sit in patience like the lengthy night.
When the minutes had passed, my turn has come.

As I have played alone all this while long,
I play a song filled with endless sorrow,
Each Nymph was lost in my emotive tones,
Dreaming of the better yet to come tomorrow
With tears uncounted and sighs in pleasure.

“O mortal of the flute, how mortal you are,
Like lovely star, whose fruit is our light”
Upon his boyish face, brought forth a smile,
To raise my spirits to an ascended height
He pours me his sweetest mead to drink.

“I thank you Pan”, I then said to him,
“To allow me to play in your sight,
Of the master himself”. With that he
Laughed, played another tune right,
In which I join in as now I know it.

And to this day, I now drink and play,
With lovely Nymphs and Pan my guide,
And you can hear us at the ruins old,
Come join our song along for the ride.
For ages to come, for ages to come.