They flee from me that sometime did me seek With naked foot stalking in my chamber. I have seen them gentle, tame, and meek That now are wild and do not remember That sometime they put themselves in danger To take bread at my hand; and now they range Busily seeking with a continual change. Thanked be fortune if hath been otherwise Twenty times better, but once in special, In thin array after a pleasant guise, When her loose gown from her shoulders did fall And she me caught in her arms long and small, Therewithal sweetly did me kiss And softly said, "Dear heart, how like you this?" It was no dream: I lay broad waking. But all is turned thorough my gentleness Into a strange fashion of forsaking. And I have leave to go of her goodness And she also to use newfangleness. But since that I so kinkly am served I would fain know what she hath deserved. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CHAM TOWERS AT DA NANG by KAREN SWENSON FLUSH OR FAUNUS by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING LAMENT OF THE IRISH EMIGRANT by HELEN SELINA SHERIDAN DAWN ON THE HILLS (FROM A HOTEL WINDOW) by LILLIAN ATCHERSON TWO BARDS by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON |