Invictus

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.


夜色覆蓋在我身上
黝黑無盡的無底深淵
我對在那之上的神祇致上謝意
只要祂支持我不屈的靈魂

在環境兇暴的盤桎下
我既不畏縮也不會泣然出聲
在命運的重擊下
我的頭即使染滿血汙也絕不低下

在這充滿憤怒與淚水的地方
森然逼近的不過是影般的畏懼
然而在歲月的困厄當中
必然有我一無畏之軀

不論出口有多麼狹隘
隨之而來的懲罰有多麼漫長
我是我命運的主人
我是我靈魂的主宰


Invictus is a short poem by the British poet William Ernest Henley. The title is Latin for "Unconquered". It was first published in 1875.

Background

At the age of 12 Henley became a victim of tuberculosis of the bone. In spite of this, in 1867 he successfully passed the Oxford local examination as a senior student. His diseased foot had to be amputated directly below the knee; physicians announced the only way to save his life was to amputate the other. Henley persevered and survived with one foot intact. He was discharged in 1875, and was able to lead an active life for nearly 30 years despite his disability. With an artificial foot, he lived until the age of 53. "Invictus" was written from a hospital bed.

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會注意到這這一首詩
是最近在看"歷史深處的憂慮"
中提到奧克拉荷馬爆炸案
印象有點模糊不清
於是搜尋網路上的資料
Timothy James McVeigh用肥料炸彈車破壞聯邦大樓
造成168人死亡850人輕重傷
他...對於此案沒有悔意
他...是道地的美國人
他...退役軍人


作案兇手在執行死刑前的遺言就是上述的這首詩