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Shakespeare's Sonnet 129

Marnia's picture
Fri, 2005-09-09 02:55 — Marnia

by William Shakespeare

Th’expense of spirit in a waste of shame
Is lust in action; and, till action, lust
aftermath of sexIs perjured, murd’rous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust;

Enjoyed no sooner but despised 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
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.

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