The expense of spirit in a waste of shame Is lust in action; and till action, lust Is perjured, 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 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. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VISIONS: 4. A ROSE by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643) TO GERMANY by CHARLES HAMILTON SORLEY CASEY AT THE BAT (2) by ERNEST LAWRENCE THAYER THE BITER BIT by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN STANZAS, COMPOSED WHILE WALKING ON WARREN HILL, EARLY SUMMER'S MORNING by BERNARD BARTON |