Ducks in the water
Serenely passing by
Ripples on a placid pond
Reflecting sunbeams from the sky
But just beneath the surface
A maelstrom of propulsion
A whirling storm of paddles
Pressing forward by compulsion
Ambitious folk resemble this
We only see the public face
As they mingle with their colleagues
And converse with charm and grace
It’s not what’s on the surface
As they smile and bare their teeth
What really drives them forward
Is what’s going on beneath