Sonnet Cxxix

William Shakespeare

     The expense of spirit in a waste of shame
     Is lust in action; and till action, lust
     Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
     Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
     Enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight,
     Past reason hunted, and no sooner had
     Past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait
     On purpose laid to make the taker mad;
     Mad in pursuit and in possession so;
     Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;
     A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
     Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.
     All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
     To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.

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