A Glimpse of Pan by James Whitcomb Riley
The poem explores the idea that even a glimpse of something beautiful and elusive can be enough to inspire longing and nostalgia for what cannot be fully experienced. The speaker describes a fleeting encounter with Pan, the mythological god of nature, and how it has left an indelible mark on their imagination. The poem is a meditation on the power of suggestion and the human desire to connect with something greater than oneself.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1880 · Genre: Poetry, Pastoral, Mythology · 259 words
First lines
I caught but a glimpse of him. Summer was here, / And I strayed from the town and its dust and heat / And walked in a wood, while the noon was near, / Where the shadows were cool, and the atmosphere / Was misty with fragrances stirred by my feet / From surges of blossoms that billowed sheer / O'er the grasses, green and sweet.
And I peered through a vista of leaning trees, / Tressed with long tangles of vines that swept / To the face of a river, that answered these / With vines in the wave like the vines in the breeze, / Till the yearning lips of the ripples crept / And kissed them, with quavering ecstacies, / And gurgled and laughed and wept.
What this Textopian page supports
A Glimpse of Pan is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1880 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1880 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Pastoral, Mythology, Romanticism
- Length: 259 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Glimpse of Pan by James Whitcomb Riley
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- A Snow Song Of Skies And Seasons by Henry Van Dyke
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm, meter, and imagery.
- Pastoral — The poem depicts an idealized version of nature, emphasizing its beauty and tranquility.
- Mythology — The presence of Pan, a figure from Greek mythology, is central to the poem's theme.
- Romanticism — The poem emphasizes emotion, nature, and the sublime, characteristic of Romantic literature.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Nature · Mythology · Pan · Greek Mythology · Folklore · Symbolism · Imagery · Language · Style