Th’Expense of Spirit in a Waste of Shame (Sonnet 129)

[Verse]
Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and till action, lust
Is perjured, murd'rous, bloody, full of blame
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust
Enjoyed no sooner but despisèd straight
Past reason hunted; and, no sooner had
Past reason hated as a swallowed 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
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell