A message from BlueMoon Inspiration
Thanks for coming to this new channel. The aim is to bring each poetic word to life for you, through unique and original content creation. For the best listening experience, it is recommended to use ear/headphones. We sincerely hope that these videos give you the inspiration and motivation to be the best version of yourself.

Introduction
"Invictus" is a short poem by the Victorian era British poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903). It was written in 1875 and published in 1888 in his first volume of poems, Book of Verses, in the section Life and Death (Echoes). When Henley was 16 years old, his left leg required amputation owing to complications arising from tuberculosis. In the early 1870s, after seeking treatment for problems with his other leg at Margate, he was told that it would require a similar procedure. He instead chose to travel to Edinburgh in August 1873 to enlist the services of the distinguished English surgeon Joseph Lister, who was able to save Henley's remaining leg after multiple surgical interventions on the foot. While recovering in the infirmary, he was moved to write the verses that became the poem "Invictus". A memorable evocation of Victorian stoicism—the "stiff upper lip" of self-discipline and fortitude in adversity, which popular culture rendered into a British character trait—"Invictus" remains a cultural touchstone.

Latin for "unconquered", the poem "Invictus" is a deeply descriptive and motivational work filled with vivid imagery. With four stanzas and sixteen lines, each containing eight syllables, the poem has a rather uncomplicated structure. The poem is most known for its themes of willpower and strength in the face of adversity, much of which is drawn from the horrible fate assigned to many amputees of the day—gangrene and death. Each stanza takes considerable note of William Ernest Henley's perseverance and fearlessness throughout his early life and over twenty months under Lister's care. In the second stanza, Henley refers to the strength that helped him through a childhood defined by his struggles with tuberculosis when he says "I have not winced nor cried aloud." In the fourth stanza, Henley alludes to the fact that each individual's destiny is under the jurisdiction of themselves, not at the mercy of the obstacles they face, nor other worldly powers. Those who have taken time to analyse "Invictus" have also taken notice of religious themes, or the lack thereof, that exist in this piece. There is agreement that much of the dark descriptions in the opening lines make reference to Hell. Later, the fourth stanza of the poem alludes to a phrase from the King James Bible, which says, at Matthew 7:14, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

BlueMoon’s Thoughts
Invictus is one of the most powerful poems ever written. It is said that Nelson Mandela, while incarcerated at Robben Island prison, recited the poem to other prisoners and was empowered by its message of self-mastery. Understanding the back story of this poem only gives it more strength. While some great men and women have used this poem, it is a painful irony that some of the worst people have also used it too.

Acknowledgements
Each video requires a substantial team effort to make. We would like to thank our voice over actor, Shane Morris, who tirelessly strives to deliver these words in a manner like no other. A special thanks to our graphic design artist, Cristina Santana for all her effort and helping bring the scene to life through the generation of AI images and art.

Copyright
Both the graphics and voiceover in this video are original pieces of work, and the poem is in the public domain. The music is by Whitesands - Eternity, found at: https://whitesand.bandcamp.com/album/...

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