Sonnet 129

1 Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame
2 Is lust in action, and till action, lust
3 Is perjured, murd’rous, bloody full of blame,
4 Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
5 Enjoyed no sooner but despised straight,
6 Past reason hunted, and no sooner had
7 Past reason hated as a swallowed bait,
8 On purpose laid to make the taker mad.
9 Mad in pursuit and in possession so,
10 Had, having, and in quest, to have extreme,
11 A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
12 Before a joy proposed behind a dream.
13 All this the world well knows yet none knows well,
14 To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.