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The Calme. |
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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.
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[CW: Who] |