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The Calme.
Ovr storme is past, and that storms tyrānous rage,
A stupid calme, but nothing it, doth swage.
The fable is inverted, and farre more
A block afflicts, now, then a storke before.
Stormes chafe, and soon weare our themselves, or us;
In calmes, Heaven laughs to see us languish thus.
As steady 'as I could wish my thoughts were,
Smooth as thy Mistresse glasse, or what shines there,
The sea is now, and, as the Iles which wee
Seeke, when we can move, our ships rooted bee.
As water did in stormes, now pitch runnes out:
As Lead, when a fir'd Church becomes one spout.
And all our beautie, and our trimme, decayes,
Like courts removing, or like ended playes.
The fighting place now seamens ragges supply;
And all the tackling is a frippery.
No use of Lanthornes; and in one place lay
Feathers and dust, to day and yesterday.
Earths hollownesses, which the worlds lungs are,
Have no more winde than the upper valt of ayre.
We can nor lost friends, nor sought foes recover,
But Meteor-like, save that we move not, hover.
Onely the Calenture together drawes
Deare friends, which meet dead in great fishes mawes,
And on the hatches, as on Altars lies
Each one, his owne Priest, and owne Sacrifice.

[CW: Who]