Seeker Of Truth by E. E. Cummings
“Seeker of Truth” is one of E. E Cummings’ incredible portfolio of 2900 poems. The great American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright wanted to portray life’s great contradiction in finding the truth in this particular masterpiece. It is one of those short poems that has no clear concise meaning laid out for it.
Seeker Of Truth
BY E. E. CUMMINGS
seeker of truth
follow no path
all paths lead where
truth is here
Analysis of Cummings’ “Seeker Of Truth”
The idea that the poet wanted to portray was, those who look for the truth know the truth starts within. ‘The Seeker of Truth’ does not follow any path because all the paths lead somewhere but the truth is right here. The poet wanted to disperse the contradictions of life in this poem.
There is no speaker. The reader is the speaker here because it is asking and talking about the truth. We all live, day by day, trying to figure out a certain truth. The poet urges the reader to find the answer himself. To the poet, the reader will be surprised when he realizes that the answer was actually within him all along.
For an example, when we’re stuck on a math problem we look for a solution on the internet or in a book maybe, but when we are solving a problem much deeper, something that would require your conundrums of philosophy, we sure don’t look for any outside help. Because no one understands us more than we do ourselves. The poet wonders why we seek help when we can ask ourselves. The poem is telling us to find the truth but not by following a path.
Instead, the poet urges the reader to find the truth by creating it in our own way. To the poet, we are going to have to bear with it. Often, we search for truth outside but really the only achievable comprehension of life is found from within. We can’t constantly ask people to choose our path. It is our life and we made what it is. All in all, the truth is not something that can be sought because there is no real way to do it. The poet confirms that the truth is nowhere except within you, for you to find.