Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale/Text/Sonnet 129
For other versions of this work, see Sonnet 129 (Shakespeare).
129
The expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and till action, lust
Is perjur'd, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust; 4
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: 8
Mad 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. 12
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.
1–3 Cf. n.
4 extreme: violent
6 Past: beyond all
11 in proof: when experienced
12 propos'd: anticipated