Shakespeare's Sonnets: Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shame

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Th' expense of spirit in a waste of shameIs lust in action, and till action, lustIs perjur'd, murd'rous, bloody, full of blame,Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,Enjoy'd no sooner but despisèd straight,Past reason hunted, and no sooner hadPast reason hated as a swallowed baitOn purpose laid to make the taker mad:Made in pursuit and in possession so,Had, having, and in quest to have extreme,A bliss in proof and prov'd a very woe,Before, a joy propos'd, behind, a dream: All this the world well knows, yet none knows well To shun the heav'n that leads men to this hell.

© William Shakespeare