Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#31888 06/12/01 05:11 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
B
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
B
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,289
Now that the unspeakable criminal McVeigh has made W.E. Henley's Invictus a household word by using it to thumb his nose for the last time at the American people, what do you all think of the poem and that [expletive deleted]'s use of it?

For my part, I have never been a big admirer of the poem. I think it's overdone, stylistically, and the philosophy is questionable, even if not as abandoned to nihilism and infidelity as religious conservatives say. But now that the media, in their relentless pursuit of background material to add to the McVeigh story, have dug up the info on Henley, is turns out that it was probably written after he had had his left leg amputated because of tuberculosis of the bone, this at age 16. That background adds some interest to the sentiments expressed. And that makes McVeigh's use of it all the more outrageous. What did he suffer? A convicted and unrepentant mass murderer and terrorist, he enjoyed passionate legal representation (at whose cost?, I would like to know), 3 squares a day, decent housing, access to visitors and the media, and at the end, a far easier death than most people have. And he expects to be viewed as a martyr. O tempora! O mores!.

Whoops, excuse me; got carried away off the real subject. Await your reactions.


#31889 06/12/01 05:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 771
For the benefit of anyone else who might have to look it up, as I did: http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/HenleyInvictus.htm


#31890 06/12/01 05:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
The poem is a bit bombastic, but expresses courage, which is certainly to be preferred to whining self-pity. In caring for patients with incurable illnesses, courage is of great value not only to the care givers, but an indispensible adjuvant to any treatment.


#31891 06/12/01 06:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
"I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

I thought this was Walt Whitman. Thanks for inadvertently setting me straight. Now which Whitman poem am I thinking of? Help!


#31892 06/12/01 06:16 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
oh captain! my captain!!

http://utcsl.phys.utk.edu/~forrest/poems/captain.html
(see also, Dead Poet's Society)


#31893 06/12/01 10:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618
D
addict
Offline
addict
D
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 618
Didn't he make chocolates?

[in-a-really-weird-mood-e]


#31894 06/13/01 12:51 AM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
"Soldier" written by then Crown Prince Dipendra

Left bonds of affection, having duly understood
If needed in blood, be ready to fight I will
To flames reduce, will lightening halt
Spray with blood I will
On this uniform, the country's "Sindur"
Shake the earth I will.

From an article in the Indian Express:
Soldier happens to be just one of the several poems where Dipendra speaks passionately of the need to draw blood with uncanny consistency the thread runs across his other poems as well. From a poem titled "O Mother" he dutifully begins - "O, Mother Show us what to do and we'll fulfill.." but by the fifth stanza the martial streak emerges

In this chest a flame burns
Nepali Strength aglow
To build a nation will toil on
Till the blood does flow



Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
tsuwm,

thanks for the clarification.

Avy,
the only thing those "poems" have going for them is the odd bit of anastrophe ... Were they written originally in English?


Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
> Were they written originally in English?

I don't Anna, it did not say in the article.
But I think they are translated. They have that discordant ring to it - unless he wrote that badly in English.


#31897 06/16/01 02:13 AM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
N
journeyman
Offline
journeyman
N
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 87
Did anyone else notice that one of the tweedle-dee tweedle-dumber big TV-media three, in noting McVeigh's use of Invictus and showing part of the text on-screen, changed the spelling of "strait" to "straight?"

Insult to injury. Is there a lawyer in the house?



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5