“What is truth?”
a ruler once asked
the wisest man in the world,
and the wise man answered not.

“What is truth?”
he asked again
and the wise man
only stared.

“What is truth?”
the ruler demanded,
but the wise man
stood as dumb.

“I adjure you
by the living God
to tell me
what is true!”

Then he opened
his mouth and said,
“I have told you,
but you would not believe.”