Four men born
Different and the same
Never meeting each other
Some wild some tame

One man the gift of gab
Another a musical sensation
The third given athletics
The last given determination

The first spoke beautifully
A voice like no others
Coasting through life
Doing nothing for his brothers

He grew like a ****
Top of all deeds
First wave of trouble
He surrenders and recedes

His possibilities are few
His lack of drive decided
The few feats he made
For his fears abided

The second a musical genius
His harmony was perfection
No sound he couldn’t master
His favorite the brass section

As easy as greeting the day
He played the greatest sound
Everyone enjoyed his gift
How his ability did astound

Alas one day he lost a duel
Harder he did not work
He lost time and again
So his talent he did shirk

Never again did he play
For what was the use
Too difficult the work
No lack of an excuse

Now he works in a box
His tasks painless
Never rising from ordinary
His record stainless

The third man a muscular marvel
Body carved from steel
Strong as an ox
His form ideal

In any arena
He would be winner
No blemishes on the outside
Not true of the inner  

For one day he met his match
And apart did he fall
Refusing to get up
He decided to crawl

Please they all beg
But his pride was hurt
I quit his reply
He declined to convert

What a man he could have been
Had he only tried harder
Alas he did not
He’d rather be a martyr

The last man had nothing unique
Seemingly nothing great
Life just like the others
Without any special trait

He failed many times
But kept on trying
Fell many times
Yet remained undying

One day it was unbearable
Life gave its worst
Stumbled he did
Feeling cursed

He fought it through
To the very end
Trouble battled back
His will did not bend

During it all he kept going
No talent to grasp
Never did he stop
Until he did gasp

Later in life
He looked about
His trials were over
And he had clout

Because of his tests
He excelled and overcame
He had no regrets
He had no shame

Many tests taught him well
Countless hardships made him tall
Finally his gift discovered
To always rise when you fall