I stumbled on this insightful poem by Dale Wimbrow that was written in 1934, yet the message remains fresh and true today.
The Guy in the Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf*,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.
For it isn’t your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Who judgement upon you must pass.
The feller whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
He’s the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he’s with you clear up to the end,
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and “chisel” a plum,
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you’re only a bum
If you can’t look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass.
* means wealth
These observations about the meaning of Wimbrow’s poem offered by Poetryace resonate with me:
“The poem addresses you as a general reader. Ultimately, the speaker tells the listener that you need to be able to look yourself in the mirror as your judgment of yourself is the only judgment that matters in this world. Looking yourself in the mirror has become an expression of conscience. If you can do so, your conscience is free, and you will live a happy life.
Wimbrow has personified a person’s reflection as if it can pass judgment onto the person looking at it – as if your reflection is judging you when you look in the mirror, and can be nice or a little cold.
He’s essentially saying, go take a good hard look at yourself – what do you think? What does your heart say? What’s your conscience say?
You may think you are this great, amazing guy, but if you can’t look yourself in the eye when you are looking in the mirror – you’ve got some issues to work out. The “guy in the glass” will determine just how much of a “wonderful” guy you really are.”
Holy moly! Powerful alchemy of the head and heart! Are you feeling the same thing!
