The English poet William Ernest Henley is a bit of a one hit wonder. His literary reputation rests almost entirely on the single, magnificent poem 'Invictus', written in 1875.
I adore this beautiful piece of writing. The poem is so powerful, stirring, and hopeful.
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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.
by William Ernest Henley
If you love this poem as much as I do you might want to take it one step further...
You're probably all going to think I'm obsessed with Morgan Freeman. Well maybe I am - he has such a wise tone to his voice and I love it.
You can hear the man himself read 'Invictus' in the film of the same name, also starring Matt Damon. His words from the movie are coupled with stunning images in this slideshow. You can also hear him recite the piece from memory in this short clip from a television interview. I can't decide which version I prefer!
Happy Sunday!
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