Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Watching the Capture of the Green River Killer reacquainted me with this poem I memorized in high school.
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.

5 comments:

shing said...

It's a strong and wonderful poem, giting! I never learned it, though. Mayo ang Lit teacher nyo, ha! =)

giting said...

Huo Shing, I recently realized nga mayo gid man sya, she made us study lots of poems back then. Ang iban asta subong gapanaylaytay sa akon nga consciousness.

dreamwalker said...

Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

My favorite line. :)

giting said...

Bloody head, tamang tama sa Halloween.

Kelan na ang rebond ng mga Indians? :-)

dreamwalker said...

Whatcha doing tomorrow? Wanna hang out? Coffee shop? Boring! Haha.