The Man in the Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for pelf
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 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.
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 difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.
Some people may call you 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.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of life
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and strife
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.
by Peter Dale Wimbrow
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Pelf: money or wealth, especially when regarded with contempt or acquired by reprehensible means