but he . . . to him, the least thing given Means great things at a distance

What was he doing, the great god Pan,

Down in the reeds by the river?

Spreading ruin and scattering ban, 

Splashing and paddling with hoofs of a goat,

And breaking the golden lilies afloat

With the dragon-fly on the river.

 

He tore out a reed, the great god Pan,

From the deep cool bed of the river:

The limpid water turbidly ran,

And the broken lilies a-dying lay,

And the dragon-fly had fled away,

Ere he brought it out of the river.

 

[Elizabeth Barrett Browning {1806-1861} from 'A Musical Instrument', in the public domain]