Metaphrasis

Original

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 themself 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;  
Therewithall 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.

Sonnet

They flee from me that sometime did me seek  
With naked foot in my chamber, then tame  
Forgot sometime bread at my hand they pick’d  
And range now wilder with continual change  
But of all once when her loose gown did fall  
She me caught in her arms long and small  
And in thin array, sweetly did me kiss  
And softly said dear heart how like you this?

It was no dream: I lay broad waking  
But all becomes a 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.