1 Th’ expense of spirit in a waste of shame Opening definition of lust
The waste of spirit and loss of shame spent in lust How lust burns through your energy and your self-respect desire drains you empty
and kills your shame Wordplay: “Th' expense of spirit”
Spirit (semen, vital force) wasted. The act costs the self something irreplaceable. 'Expense' means both expenditure and damage.
2 Is lust in action, and till action, lust
Lust is in the act itself, and until the act happens, it remains lust It's the thing you're chasing—until you've got it, you're still chasing it lust is the hunt
before and after
3 Is perjured, murd’rous, bloody full of blame,
Lust is false-sworn, murderous, bloody, full of guilt, It's a liar, it destroys, it's violent, and it's loaded with blame it lies
it kills
it's soaked in guilt
4 Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,
Savage, extreme, harsh, cruel, completely untrustworthy, It's brutal, over-the-top, harsh, heartless, and you can't trust it at all brutal
too much
cruel
can't trust it
5 Enjoyed no sooner but despised straight,
Enjoyed the moment it's obtained, then immediately despised afterward, You get what you want and instantly hate yourself for it got it
immediately hate it
6 Past reason hunted, and no sooner had
Hunted beyond all reason, and no sooner possessed You chase it madly, and the second you catch it hunted beyond sense
owned instantly
7 Past reason hated as a swallowed bait,
Despised beyond reason, like a hook swallowed by prey, Hated with an unreasonable fury, like bait that hooks you from inside hated without reason
hooked from within
8 On purpose laid to make the taker mad.
Deliberately placed there to drive the one who takes it mad. Set there on purpose to mess with your head designed to break you
Volta The volta moves from defining lust's nature to describing its paradoxical states—mad in pursuit AND in possession, a bliss that proves a woe, a dream disguised as joy.
9 Mad in pursuit and in possession so, Mad in pursuit and possession
Crazy while pursuing it, and crazy once you possess it, Maddening when you're after it, maddening when you have it crazy hunting
crazy having
10 Had, having, and in quest, to have extreme,
Had it, having it, or still seeking to have it—all extremes, Past, present, future—it's always over the top had it
have it
want it
all extreme
11 A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;
A bliss in the moment, but once experienced, a real sorrow; It feels great while it's happening, but after—genuine pain bliss in the moment
real pain after
12 Before a joy proposed behind a dream.
A joy promised ahead, but a dream behind, Joy dangled in front, but it slips away like a dream joy promised
just a dream
13 All this the world well knows yet none knows well, The knowledge paradox
Everyone in the world knows this truth, yet no one truly knows it, Everyone knows this happens, but no one gets how deep it goes everyone knows it
but no one really gets it
14 To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.
To escape the pleasure that leads men toward this misery. How to walk away from the joy that takes you to hell can't escape
the trap Wordplay: “heaven that leads men to this hell”
Sexual pleasure (heaven) is the mechanism of damnation. The good becomes the trap.