Guy In The Glass

I recently came across a brilliant poem, ” The Guy In The Glass,” penned by Peter Dale Winbrow Sr in 1934. In this poem, the author asks us, readers, to remember to live by our own conscience. We all pursue wealth to lead a comfortable life, and when things go well, we must look into a mirror and seek to understand what that “guy” looking out sees. The “guy” in the Glass is a metaphor for our conscience.

The core message beautifully conveyed in this poem is this- Forget the judgment of others. What matters is the judgment of your conscience. If you do right by your conscience, you will move through life freely and happily. Read on and enjoy !!

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.

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.

**Pelf means wealth in this context