▁short ▁poem ▁by ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁era ▁English ▁poet ▁William ▁Ernest ▁Hen ley ▁( 1 8 4 9 – 1 9 0 3 ). ▁It ▁was ▁written ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 5 ▁and ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁volume ▁of ▁po ems , ▁Book ▁of ▁Vers es , ▁in ▁the ▁section ▁Life ▁and ▁Death ▁( E cho es ). ▁ ▁Title ▁ ▁Origin ally , ▁the ▁poem ▁was ▁published ▁with ▁no ▁title . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁edition ▁of ▁Hen ley ' s ▁Book ▁of ▁Vers es ▁added ▁a ▁dedic ation ▁" To ▁R . ▁T . ▁H . ▁B ." — a ▁reference ▁to ▁Robert ▁Thomas ▁Hamilton ▁Bruce ▁( 1 8 4 6 – 1 8 9 9 ), ▁a ▁successful ▁Scottish ▁fl our ▁merchant , ▁b aker , ▁and ▁literary ▁patron . ▁The ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁edition ▁of ▁Hen ley ' s ▁Po ems , ▁published ▁after ▁Bruce ' s ▁death , ▁alter ed ▁the ▁dedic ation ▁to ▁" I . ▁M . ▁R . ▁T . ▁Hamilton ▁Bruce ▁( 1 8 4 6 – 1 8 9 9 )" ▁( I . ▁M . ▁standing ▁for ▁" in ▁memor iam "). ▁ ▁The ▁poem ▁was ▁repr int ed ▁in ▁nin ete enth - century ▁newsp apers ▁under ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁titles , ▁including ▁" M ys elf ", ▁" S ong ▁of ▁a ▁Str ong ▁Soul ", ▁" My ▁Soul ", ▁" Clear ▁G rit ", ▁" Master ▁of ▁His ▁F ate ",