Invictus

[lunatica]

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.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear lunatica!

In these dark days, when it is so easy to become discouraged about the state of our country, this is an important poem to re-read.

Mandela used it to conquer his depression while he was in prison; we can use now as well.

I am proud to recommend!

:yourock:

[lunatica]

2. Thank you CaliforniaPeggy!

It's good to remember our heroes who overcame the worst possible circumstances simply because they refused to be defeated.

[lunatica]

3. This is about refusing to be beaten

[lunatica]

4. kick

[malaise]

5. Every boy learned that poem in grammar schools in the Caribbean

up to independence (the '60s).
I visited a good friend's dad when he was dying and he recited every line for us. I'll never forget that afternoon. He told us to enjoy our lives because that's all we have. He died the next day - he was lucid and pleasant to the end.

[lunatica]

7. What a wondeful memory you have!

These are great words to live by.

[malaise]

8. Yes indeed

I will never forget that afternoon and I did love my friend's dad. He was 85 when he died.
Last month we threw a surprise luncheon for his widow on her 80th birthday and we talked about Invictus.

[Whisp]

9. thats nice but I don't see the poem gender specific

but do understand that it was in the past.

I think women being the captains of their soul still bugs some people who just assume that it is a male quality only to stay strong under adversity.

[malaise]

11. Well I certainly never learned it in school

but all my male friends and their dads had to learn it.
Those were different times.

[lunatica]

13. I find it very much in essence of women's issues

I'm a woman and it definitely makes sense to me as a woman.

[malaise]

14. It does make sense

but we did not have to learn it then.

[Whisp]

15. o for sure!

Just saying that in the past (and still now for too many) these traits were pretty well exclusive for men.

women being captains of their souls would set off a round of laughter, I'm sure. Such as a woman who goes to church without a hat - you see men do not need a hat as it interrupts that ray from god, direct onto the man's head without an impediment. but a woman is not to accept this blessing, because, well, she's a woman!

but I'm going off track and topic to the OP here, sorry.

[patrice]

6. Kick! & Thanks. nt

[pamela]

10. McVeigh ruined this poem for me.

This use to be my favorite poem until McVeigh used it as his final statement. It's still a great poem, but now I can't hear it without thinking of him.

[lunatica]

12. No one can beat Mandela regarding this poem

McVeigh is nowhere close to Mandela. Nothing can ruin this poem.

[malaise]

18. I don't even associate it with McVeigh

Thankfully

[joshcryer]

16. Same here. And he truly believed it represented him, that's why it bugs me.

That poem for me represents the most amazing struggle imaginable, not social, but physical, cultural, pivotal, revolutionary, and, meh, it's overused.

I prefer The Impossible Dream (not Frank's version, though he does it well):

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are to weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow the star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right, without question or pause
To be willing to pass into hell for a heavenly cause
And I know, if I'll only be true to the glorious quest

That my heart lies peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last dance of courage
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow the star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right , without question or pause

And to dream the impossible dream
The impossible dream
The impossible dream
The impossible dream

[lunatica]

17. This too is a wonderful poem and song

I don't give a crap what Mcveigh said or thought. He was a murderer of children. Fuck him.

[susanr516]

19. One of my favorite poems nt