Invictus

After seeing the dramatic movie Invictus, I was intrigued by the parts of the poem that lend the movie its title.

In the movie it is used as an inspiration point to lead people beyond what performance that is logically possible. Mandela was inspired to move the people out of apartheid prejudice and into developing a country the would come together and not seek revenge upon itself. Matt Damon's character used it to challenge his leadership to take a rugby team that had absolutely no chance of winning against a team that was rolling over other throughout the world, and get them to believe that they could win. And they did.

This is a pretty powerful piece of poetry that was used. My web search brought it up so that you may get some inspiration from it if needed.  : ) Pat

Louis Untermeyer, ed. (1885–1977). Modern British Poetry.  1920.

William Ernest Henley. 1849–1903

7. 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	5
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,	10
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:	15
I am the captain of my soul.

Our Trademark fog

Tule fog. It comes up from the ground. moisture from the soil chills off in the night and fog forms early in the morning. this morning in November the fog is thick. Yet at 10:00 it retreats up into the sky and looks like the coastal fog. Sometimes, later in the year, in late December and January, the fog comes in early in the evening.  I fully expect that this afternoon will be sunny and in the high sixties or low 70s. This is what a non rainy day looks like in this part of the world.

Its no picnic to be a driver through the fog. This is especially true of the rural roads where it is not uncommon to roll down your window at intersections before pulling out. School buses are now have radar detectors in the country so that movement in the intersection can be noted. Still many accidents occur because people do not slow down or use their head as to when to drive. Speed is deadly in fog. Careful patient drivers are needed to sort out the traffic. Drive carefully!