What Is Truth?

John Bowring 1792 (Exeter) – 1872 (Claremont, Devon)



What is truth? said Pilate, groping
In the darkness of his ire.-
Trembling, doubting, fearing, hoping,
Calmer souls may well inquire,
What is truth?-that prize whose worth
Far exceeds the gifts of earth.

Truth-of love and light the presence,
Truth-the stepping-stone to heaven,
Truth-of knowledge soul and essence,
Truth-celestial pole-star given,
Wandering barks to cheer and guide
Through the tempest and the tide.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

20 sec read
128

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCC DEDEFF
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 413
Words 67
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 6, 6

John Bowring

Sir John Bowring (Chinese translated name: 寶寧, 寶靈 (for Mandarin speakers) or 包令 (for Cantonese)) (Thai: พระยาสยามมานุกูลกิจ สยามมิตรมหายศ) (17 October 1792 – 23 November 1872) was an English political economist, traveller, writer, literary translator, polyglot and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong.  more…

All John Bowring poems | John Bowring Books

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