Most everyone has seen a peacock,
Strutting around, head high, tail on display,
Bragging about how manly and virile he is;
Putting on an extravagant show.
Then, there's the peahen.
She is quiet and doesn't show off,
But even though her colors are drabber,
She has an understated elegance.
Her mate, the peacock, is all show,
And not that graceful either.
Where did all that pride come from?
True, he is beautiful,
But what difference does that make?
In the end, all he does is strut, while
His quiet, hard-working mate builds the nest,
Raises the eggs, half starves herself sitting on the nest,
And does almost all the work.
So, if you have a tendency to be proud as a peacock,
Think about Mrs. Peahen,
And how much more beautiful she is.