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...SUMMER WIND by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT ON AN INFANT WHICH DIED BEFORE BAPTISM by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE NO BABY IN THE HOUSE by CLARA G. DOLLIVER ALMOND BLOSSOM by EDWIN ARNOLD THE MAUSOLEUM by WILLIAM EDMONSTOUNE AYTOUN IDYLL 15. THE EPITHALAMIUM OF ACHILLES AND DEIDAMIA by BION ON SEEING MISS FONTENELLE IN A FAVOURITE CHARACTER by ROBERT BURNS |