since time immemorial we have placed our faith externally,

into the hands of gods, worshipped unquestioningly, sometimes

believing we, and only we, are the chosen ones, 

which has many times pitched us against one another, 

in the name of defending the dictates of a faith, 

using rigid beliefs as weapons, with proud, defiant, 

stiffened backs ever ready to act to repel dissenters.

faith, that enigma of endless variations, with products

peddled forcefully by silver-tongued marketeers,

members of orders who possess the sleight of hand

of magicians who try to bewitch us using fables 

and tales, tall stories from history that, 

nowadays, fewer and fewer of us buy - but why? 

maybe because some, but by no means all, of us

have begun to see the answer lies within ourselves,

that we can develop a simple moral guide to navigate life, 

an uncomplicated compass, one that we can own, 

built on values about sharing; sharing space, 

sharing knowledge, sharing time, sharing love 

and acting for the common good.