The one that counts

The Guy In The Glass Dale Wimbrow © 1934 a.k.a The Man in The Mirror  & The Man in The Glass

 http://www.newagemultimedia.com/firebrace/mirror.html

This poem, we originally believed was written by an anonymous prisoner. We have since located the true owner and author of the poem which we incorrectly titled, like so many others,    The Man In The Mirror.  We have also corrected what we believed to be a spelling mistake in the word pelf to self. The original had the word pelf which is an informal word for money or wealth etc. We have corrected our mistake and replaced self with the correct pelf. We have also included another paragraph which we were not aware of, in the original. The son of the author has a website if you want more info.  Click here Our father, Peter "Dale" Wimbrow Sr. wrote the poem "The Guy in the Glass in 1934. It was published in the American magazine at that time and the copyright was assigned to our father. The poem has become also known, incorrectly, as "The Man in the Glass" or sometimes, "The Man in the Mirror", but the thought is the same, the message clear...'you can fool the whole world down the pathway of years, but you can't fool the guy staring back from the glass' Peter Dale Wimbrow, Jr.

I have looked for this for awhile.  I am glad I found the additional information.  Ruth

When you get all you want and you 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 man has to say.

For it isn't your mother, your father or wife

whose judgment upon you must pass,

but the man, whose verdict counts most in your life

is the one staring back from the glass.

He's the fellow to please,

never mind all the rest.

For he's with you right to the end,

and you've passed your most difficult test

if the man 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 highway of years,

and take pats on the back as you pass.

But your final reward will be heartache and tears

if you've cheated the man in the glass.

The Man In The Mirror

If you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say

For it isn't a man's father, mother or wife
Whose judgement upon him must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in his life
Is the man staring back from the glass

He's the fellow to please, never mind the rest
For he's with you clear up to the end
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend

You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward wil be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass

-- A convict; found on the walls of his cell