Michelle and I live in the house that my grandparents on my father's side lived in before they passed away. The six of us grandkids affectionately called my grandfather 'Grandpop'. The following poem was special to him. He had copies of it framed and hung about the house, and now several members of my family have adopted it as expressing words to live by. The language strikes me as being distinctly of the World War Two era. Grandpop was a veteran of that war and was a prisoner of the Germans in Stalag Luft 1 located in Barth, Germany. As was typical of the men who served at that time, he never spoke of his experiences. We didn't understand that phase of his life while he was with us. During these last few years, more and more has come to light. As that generation dwindles, I and others are becoming ever more appreciative of their contributions, and their sacrifices. This is for Grandpop:
The Man In The Glass.
When you get what you want in your struggles for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.
For it isn't your father or mother or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.
Some people might think you're a straight-shooting chum
And call you 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.
He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he's with you clear to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get 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.
Popular Adaptation of "The Guy In The Mirror"
by Dale Wimbrow
P.S. I apologize for not keeping up with e-mails and blogging. I want all the snaars fans out there to know that if I am slow to respond, don't think I'm ignoring you. (It could be the case that I'm ignoring you, actually, but just don't think that I am, okay? I'll feel better about myself if you continue to have faith that I'm an all-around fantastic and together dude.)
And don't forget to click on some google ads every time you visit, you drooling consumerist automotae!
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1 comment:
I like this story. It isn't just the language of the poem that is of a bygone era. Integrity is an old-fashioned concept, which doesn't constitute progress.
Q
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