Remembrance

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 it 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;

         Therewith all 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 kindly am served,

         I would fain know what she hath deserved.