589. Invictus by William Ernest Henley

589. Invictus by William Ernest Henley

Author: Classic Poetry Aloud October 25, 2013 Duration: 1:04
William Ernest Henley read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------- Invictus by William Ernest Henley (1849 – 1903) 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. Reading © Classic Poetry Aloud, 2008.

There’s a particular magic that happens when a great poem is spoken aloud, a texture and rhythm that can sometimes be missed on the page. Classic Poetry Aloud is built on that simple, powerful idea. Each episode is a quiet moment devoted to a single, timeless work, read clearly and without distraction. You’ll hear the familiar cadences of Shakespeare and Wordsworth alongside perhaps lesser-known voices from centuries past, all selected from a growing library that serves as a rich resource for aficionados and newcomers alike. This podcast strips away analysis and commentary, focusing purely on the spoken word. The intention is to make these works more accessible, allowing the listener to be swept up in the original language, the metre, and the emotion as intended by the poet. It’s an experience that often deepens appreciation, revealing new layers in a sonnet you thought you knew or introducing you to a stunning piece you’d never encountered. Tuning in to Classic Poetry Aloud is like having a private, ever-expanding anthology of the world’s finest verse, ready to be heard whenever you need a moment of reflection, beauty, or solace.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Classic Poetry Aloud
Podcast Episodes
580. Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 0:55
William Shakespeare read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------- Sonnet 116 by William Shakespeare (1564 – 1616) Let me n…
579. The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:00
Alfred, Lord Tennyson read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------------- The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (18…
578. Binsey Poplars by Gerard Manley Hopkins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:03
Gerard Manley Hopkins read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com/ Giving voice to the poetry of the past. --------------------------------------------------- Binsey Poplars felled 1879 by Gerard Manl…
577. A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allen Poe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29
Edgar Allen Poe read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the classic poetry of the past. --------------------------------------------- A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allan Poe (180…
576. Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05
Wordsworth read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the classic poetry of the past. --------------------------------------------------- Upon Westminster Bridge by William Wordsworth…
575. She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21
Byron read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://www.classicpoetryaloud.com Giving voice to the classic poetry of the past. ------------------------------------- She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron She walks in beauty, like the…
574. Ode to Autumn by John Keats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:14
Keats read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/ Giving voice to classic poetry. --------------------------------------------------- Ode to Autumn by John Keats Season of mists and mellow frui…
Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:26
Owen read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/ Giving voice to classic poetry. --------------------------------------------------- Dulce et Decorum Est by Wilfred Owen Bent double, like old b…
The Sunne Rising by John Donne [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:19
Donne read by Classic Poetry Aloud: http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/ Giving voice to classic poetry. --------------------------------------------------- The Sunne Rising by John Donne Busie old foole, unruly Sunn…