I have pulled away from the shores of faith
And made for the open sea,
With the wind of reason cold in my sails
But no sirens calling me.

I have left behind the dogmas of youth
With their golden certainties.
No more for me at each end of the day
The comforting liturgies.

In the misty regions of un-belief
Where master and boat are one,
Without sextant, compass, landmark or stars
I must navigate alone.

But an aching grows in the heart of me
And a sadness fills my mind
At the thought of promises shared no more
And traditions left behind.

I’ll travel no more the Emmaus road
Nor see in faith’s cloudless light
A saviour revealed by the breaking of bread
In an inn at the fall of night.

In my questing to find the Tree of Life
Across the uncharted sea,
Perhaps I will find, when journeying’s done,
That its roots are anchored in me.

1988