Barb Wilkie's EHN Website
Last updated 2008

by Dale Wimbrow, (c) 1934

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.

Dale Wimbrow 1895-1954

The original poem by Dale Wimbrow titled "The Guy in the Glass" was first published in the American Magazine in 1934. The magazine had asked their readers to offer an answer to a young man's question to the Editor of the magazine as to "Why he should be honest." . . .

And now to see how it had first appeared on EHN's site:

The Man In the Glass

When you get what you want on your struggle for self
and the world makes you king for a day,
just go to the mirror and look at yourself
and see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your mother, or father, or wife
whose judgement you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
is the one staring back from the glass.

Some folks might think you're a straight shootin' 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 of the rest,
for he's with you clean up to the end.
And you've passed your most important and difficult test
if the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
and get pats on your back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartache and tears,
if you've cheated the man in the glass.

-- Doc Dybbie

Note: I've no idea who Doc Dybbie is/was. One of our daughters copied this out of a magazine some years back. Somehow certain folks come to mind whenever I read this -- I wonder if they ever see themselves as ultimately cheating "the man (or woman) in the glass"? (I've no idea when I first posted this plagerized version of Dale Wimbrow's The Guy in the Glass, but it was long before ENRONscandal. See ENRON Probe at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/business/specials/energy/enron/). -- barb

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