Thursday, May 12, 2005

Lessons from my past-#2

I found this in my 6th grade notes, and I like it:
The Man in the Glass

When you get what you want in 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 father or mother or friend,
Whose judgement 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 have passed your most dangerous 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 fooled the man in the glass.

5 comments:

Keren Perles said...

Hmmmm...Horatio....? Welcome, I spoze. Although I assume I know you, and have a silent hunch as to your identity....

TRW--Excellent poem. Do you remember your sixth-grade thoughts on it? Did it make an impact on you at all? Just curious.

TRW said...

Horatio-Welcome!! So glad to have finally dragged you in...;)
Love the glasses, by the way-they're soooooo cooool!

Stx-I don't think you know Horatio..unless you stalked me waaay more than I thought while I was away..

TRW said...

Stx-I have absolutely NO recollection of the poem-probably I just looked at it, did the vocab. work that I was supposed to do, and put it away. Which is kinda sad, but very 6th grade.

defen said...

Too true and real to make any deep comments about...

EN said...

Great mussar. There is much to learn from your poem. thank you for posting it.