The Cycle of Fortitude

The Cycle of Fortitude

In cycles cast by time's cruel hand,
Where fortunes shift like grains of sand,
A tale unfolds, as old as stone,
Of hard times chiseled to the bone.

Hard times create strong men, 'tis said,
With iron wills and hearts that bled,
They rise from dust, from sorrow's night,
To grasp the day, to claim the light.

Strong men create good times of cheer,
Where laughter drowns the echo of fear,
Abundance flows, and peace is found,
In every heart, in every sound.

Good times create weak men, alas,
Who know not of the fragile glass,
Upon which their fleeting days do rest,
Till strength is gone, and they're put to the test.

Weak men create hard times anew,
As history's wheel turns in view,
And so the cycle, ever grim,
Spins on—a haunting, spectral hymn.

“Hard times create strong men
Strong men create good times
Good times create weak men
Weak men create hard times”

• Unknown