William Ernest Henley

He was a Victorian poet, critic, and editor. His poetry is known for resilience and stoicism, epitomized by 'Invictus.' Biography ↓More ↓

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Poems

The Rain and the Wind

The rain and the wind, the wind and the rain -- They are with us like a disease: They worry the heart, they work the brain, As they shoulder and clutch at the shrieking pane, And savage the helpless trees. What does it profit a man to know These tattered and tumbling skies A million stately stars will show, And the ruining grace of the after-glow And the rush of the wild sunrise? Ever the rain -- the rain and the wind! Come, hunch with me over the fire, Dream of the dreams that leered and grinned, Ere the blood of the Year got chilled and thinned, And the death came on desire!

William Ernest Henley

Between the Dusk of a Summer Night

Between the dusk of a summer night And the dawn of a summer day, We caught at a mood as it passed in flight, And we bade it stoop and stay. And what with the dawn of night began With the dusk of day was done; For that is the way of woman and man, When a hazard has made them one. Arc upon arc, from shade to shine, The World went thundering free; And what was his errand but hers and mine -- The lords of him, I and she? O, it's die we must, but it's live we can, And the marvel of earth and sun Is all for the joy of woman and man And the longing that makes them one.

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Ballade of Dead Actors

Where are the passions they essayed, And where the tears they made to flow? Where the wild humours they portrayed For laughing worlds to see and know? Othello's wrath and Juliet's woe? Sir Peter's whims and Timon's gall? And Millamant and Romeo? Into the night go one and all. Where are the braveries, fresh or frayed? The plumes, the armours -- friend and foe? The cloth of gold, the rare brocade, The mantles glittering to and fro? The pomp, the pride, the royal show? The cries of war and festival? The youth, the grace, the charm, the glow? Into the night go one and all. The curtain falls, the play is played: The Beggar packs beside the Beau; The Monarch troops, and troops the Maid; The Thunder huddles with the Snow. Where are the revellers high and low? The clashing swords? The lover's call? The dancers gleaming row on row? Into the night go one and all.

O Gather Me the Rose

O gather me the rose, the rose, While yet in flower we find it, For summer smiles, but summer goes, And winter waits behind it.

For with the dream foregone, foregone, The deed foreborn forever, The worm Regret will canker on, And time will turn him never.

So were it well to love, my love, And cheat of any laughter The fate beneath us, and above, The dark before and after.

The myrtle and the rose, the rose, The sunshine and the swallow, The dream that comes, the wish that goes The memories that follow!

Madam Life's a Piece in Bloom

Madam Life's a piece in bloom Death goes dogging everywhere: She's the tenant of the room, He's the ruffian on the stair.

You shall see her as a friend, You shall bilk him once or twice; But he'll trap you in the end, And he'll stick you for her price.

With his kneebones at your chest, And his knuckles in your throat, You would reason -- plead -- protest! Clutching at her petticoat;

But she's heard it all before, Well she knows you've had your fun, Gingerly she gains the door, And your little job is done.

Biography

He was a Victorian poet, critic, and editor, often associated with the Decadent and Aesthetic movements. Despite having his left leg amputated due to tuberculosis, he led an active literary life. His poetry frequently explores themes of inner strength, endurance, and defiance against adversity. The imagery is often vivid, drawing on night, toughness, and the indomitable human spirit. His style ranges from controlled, formal verse to patriotic and robust rhythms. He is best remembered for his poem 'Invictus,' which became a cultural touchstone for courage. He also edited the 'National Observer,' promoting emerging writers. His influence extended to contemporaries like Robert Louis Stevenson. His legacy is as a symbol of unyielding resilience.

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