Did you ask him what he did behind the scenes?

The artist puts on an electric show;

The surgery’s done without sweat on the brow;

The painting looks sophisticatedly plain as what you could do;

The machines are fixed without much ado.

But did you ask what he did behind the scenes?

 

The melody’s perfect, but it’s just a piano;

The building’s perfect in 2 months, no more;

The plot of the story got you laughing for two;

And the bulb is on with a flick from you.

 

Did you ask her what she did behind the scenes?

The goal’s marvelous from a kick of a shoe;

The plane soars over the ocean with you;

The medal’s won by a long javelin throw;

And the target’s hit on the other side of the war.

Did you ask her what she did behind the scenes?

 

Did you ask them what they did behind the scenes,

As they learned the skills and honed them,

Sweat and pain and fear and bitter phlegm

Each time they failed, but dusting up to try again,

And loving each minute as they drew close to perfection:

That’s the iceberg lying behind the scenes.

 

(c) Nyonglema