Invictus: Ukrainian War Poets Recite William Ernest Henley’s Famous Lines Quoted by Churchill

On World Poetry Day, Ukrainian poets - now serving in the military to defend their country - recorded a version of William Ernest Henley’s poem Invictus ("Unconquered"). The recital honours the United Kingdom for its ongoing support of Ukraine in the full-scale war, yet also reminds the world that the fight for freedom against tyranny continues.

The poem Invictus is read by poets and servicemen Pavlo Vyshybaba, Mykola Antoshchak, Oleksii Karchakov, and Artur Dron, as well as writer and veteran Pavlo Matyusha.

English poet and publisher William Ernest Henley wrote his most famous work in 1875 while undergoing difficult treatment for tuberculosis. Due to medical complications, doctors amputated his leg. While in the hospital, Henley wrote a short poem - one that became a symbol of resilience, dignity, and strength for anyone facing insurmountable challenges.

In a speech to the House of Commons in 1941, Winston Churchill paraphrased the last two lines of the poem, uplifting the spirit of the nation during the height of World War II: "We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls." The poem was  referenced by Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment, and was also the inspiration for naming Invictus Games - a competition created by Prince Harry and his team for wounded servicemen and veterans.

“Invictus for me is valuable for raising the issue of preserving one’s identity in abnormal circumstances. Even preserving one’s feelings – such as the ability to empathize – requires effort and constant vigilance to changes within. In the single pixelated form, one would like to leave and preserve their own meaning,” comments Pavlo Vyshybaba. His poetry collection, Just Don’t Write to Me About War, was published in December 2022.

The video address was created by the public organization Ukraine WOW in collaboration with the Aurora multimarket chain, supported by the ‘Cultural Forces’ association. World Poetry Day, initiated by UNESCO, aims to foster cultural dialogue. Even in the darkest times, culture serves as a powerful tool for resistance and communication across the world.

“We chose  Invictus because its lines are not only familiar to Ukrainians, but also well-known to every Briton. A poem that has long been a symbol of resilience and strength continues to be relevant during full-scale war, which Russia has now been waging against Ukraine for over three years. The UK is one of Ukraine's key allies, so Invictus is our way of thanking the British for their support and remembering all the Ukrainian poets who are defending Ukraine,” say Ukraine WOW founders Yaroslava Gres and Julia Solovey.