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ReadingWillow structured literacy program for Australian students

Sonnet 129: The expense of spirit in a waste of shame

William Shakespeare·1564–1616
Lines:14Movement:English Renaissance
The expense of spirit in a waste of shameIs lust in action: and till action, lustIs perjur'd, murderous, bloody, full of blame,Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust;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: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. All this the world well knows; yet none knows well To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.