Day 9 - Invictus - by W. E. Henley

Today's poem is Invictus, written in 1875 by William Ernest Henley.  This is Henley's most famous poem, yet the word Invictus is probably much better known now as the film produced by Clint Eastwood on the life of Nelson Mandela. It's a great film.  Invictus in Latin means "unconquered".  Just as Nelson, born in a royal family, imprisoned for 21 years for treason, then gaining freedom and bringing blacks and whites together in South Africa remained 'unconquered', William also overcame severe hardships.

William developed tuberculosis and had a leg amputated due to complications from it.  He almost lost his other leg, but with a better doctor and surgery was able to save it.  He wrote this poem while recuperating.

Here is my spoken version of this poem.  (I cannot do justice to this poem the way that Morgan Freeman does - see bottom of post).
https://soundcloud.com/raindrop-11/invictus

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Invictus - by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

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It is so fascinating for me when I finally understand where famous quotes come from, such as the last two lines of this poem.  They have been quoted and requoted by Lewis Carroll, by Nelson Mandela himself while in prison (he read the whole poem to his prison-mates), infamously by Timothy McVeigh the Oklahoma bomber, and by Captain Renault to Rick Blaine (Humphrey Boghart) in the movie Casablanca.

     I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.

There is something so deeply philosophical in this.

I cannot help but become moved emotionally now knowing about Henley's life.  Not just for Henley, but for Mandela, and Aung San Suu Kyi, and everyone who has also been so touched by these words.  Every time I watch and listen to Morgan Freeman reading this poem from the movie clip 'Invictus' my eyes fill with tears (see this trailer clip ).