Invictus by William Earnest 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.

To say the least, this poem is incredibly inspirational to me.  Henley begins this poem by illustrating where he has come from.  He says he has come from a night as black as the pit. Then he continues to say that he has been a victim of the 'fell clutch of circumstance' and he has taken 'the bludgeonings of chance.'  These two comments that Henley makes lead us to believe that Henley has been through rough times, and they have changed him.  He now realizes that it will take more than bad circumstances to bring him down.  In the first stanza, Henley thanks whatever higher power he believes in for his strength.  He is unconquerable, and it took being at a very low point in his life to realize it.  In the second stanza, he says that even though he has faced extreme hardships and they have left him bloodied, his head remains unbowed.  Here he is saying that no matter how hard things get, and no matter how down he might be, he will not give in.  In the third stanza, he says "And yet the menace of the years finds, and shall find me, unafraid."  He here is saying that he is not afraid of whatever may come his way.  He is ready to face the world.  And then, my favorite part of the poem.  I first read this stanza a few years ago, and I will never forget it.  Here, Henley delivers his ultimatum.  He says that no matter how hard things may become, he is in control of his life.  "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." Good words to live by.