The Wayfarer

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The Wayfarer

by Stephen Crane

The wayfarer,
Perceiving the pathway to truth,
Was struck with astonishment.
It was thickly grown with weeds.
“Ha,” he said,
“I see that none has passed here
In a long time.”
Later he saw that each weed
Was a singular knife.
“Well,” he mumbled at last,
“Doubtless there are other roads.”

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In this short poem, Crane comments on the nature of the truth as well as those who pursue it.

The poem is 11 lines long, in a single stanza, written in free verse without a set meter or rhyme scheme. The piece is an allegory about life. The protagonist sees a pathway to truth and is initially prideful, believing himself to be the only one to discover it in a while. Upon further inspection, though, he sees that each of the weeds are knives and he opts not to take the path.

From this we can infer that others (perhaps many others) have likely also found the path to truth and for similar reasons have opted not to follow it.

Crane’s poem illustrates that finding the way toward truth is not the difficult thing. Pursuing and reaching it is what is difficult. Reaching truth requires danger, pain, and sacrifice, so most – though they know where to start – reject this path in hope of finding another easier way.

Is it true though that truth is innately cutting? I think so. If we start with the supposition that 1) objective truth exists and that 2) nobody is perfect, then the pursuit of truth requires humility and a lack of attachment to self, because it stands to reason that “self” is wrong and in need of change or correction. Most people lack the humility or a willingness to give up certain self-affirming ideas or behaviors or feelings, so they are bound to reject truth that contradicts those things. Self-preservation thus leads most people to choose a path that is safer.