For the record, I have been accused by critics of being a 'BLEEDING HEART POET, SOMEONE WHO CARRIES HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVE' I never argued to the contrary, because while reading the account of educator and fitness trainer, Yusuf Haas's dramatic recovery after his ordeal with stroke, tears ran down my cheeks [...]
Verily, Yusuf Haas virtually came out of the entrails of the feared sickness called, "the stroke" -not once, not twice, but three devastating attacks, electrical short circuit voltage, which leave men, women and even children, drained, deluded -critically shriveled and crumpled in body and in mind. Glory, even as I write this piece, my eyes are moist. Glory to The Most High.
A great and sagacious English poet.
William Henley 23 August 1848 - 11 July 1903, describes the spirit and essence of human indomitability in his poem "out of the Night".
[ Which. some. commentators. dubbed. it. as. being. "UNCONQUERABLE" ]
The Poem reads as follows;
"Out of the night that covers me,
black as the pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
for my unconquerable.
In this vale of wrath and tears
looms but the horror of the shade
and the menace of the years,
finds, and shall fine me, unafraid.
In the fell clutch for circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
under the bludgeoning of chance
my head is bloody, but unbowed.
No matter how straight the gate
how charged with punishment the scroll
I am the master of my fate
THE CAPTAIN OF MY SOUL.
Poem taken from Wikipedia:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invictus
Indeed, as in the ethos of Henley's poetic words, Western Cape in the Republic of South Africa committed high school teacher Yusuf Haas's powerfully-moving story exemplifies the essence, the bravado and the unconquerable tenacity of the human soul.
It is the tale of one man's ordeal of faith in his Creator and in himself -under -pinned by the undying and unquenchable love, support, dedication and the sacrifices of his closely- knitted kith and kin, friends and strangers he encountered from day one of his first stroke, and through the hazardous, Touch-and-go journey with death, towards his miraculous recovery... Glory and Glory!
It is Yusuf Haas's determination not give in, not
To throw in the towel until the final gong has been struck, in his battle to beat the stroke. It is a fight underscored by his faith in a higher power than himself, than those in his family who walked the hard, long road with him; "if God be for me, and I stand firm in Him, and in myself in surely healing shall be a tangible proof of that faith".
Yusuf Haas pays his humble gratitude to the people who filled his cup of faith, with the liquid of their individual and collective caring love and compassion for him, human heroism compassion for him, human heroism in action in his, and in their lifetimes verily "no man, no women, is an island unto themselves [...] " Yusuf Haas appears to be reminding us through his story, an inimitable journey of an extra-ordinary man who refused to give in; "A master o his fate; a captain of his Soul"
Verily God lives in people such as Yusuf Haas because they choose to believe, and live in God.
By;- Author/Poet/Editor
Dr Don Mettera
Three Honoris Causa phDs
Literature;
Kwa-Zulu Natal University
Wits university (theory)
UNISA; (philosophy)
Edit by; Dr Don Mettera.
YOU ARE READING
Window to my soul
SpiritualHe was born in a small town called Strand, Cape Town South Africa. After matric, he qualifies as a woodwork teacher, teaching handcraft and mathematics at a local primary school in the early eighties. He was seconded to the local high school, teachi...
