The Guy in the Glass

[gray_marian]

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.

Peter Dale Wimbrow

[Keith at Tregenna]

Think i know what this means, ta k. Will work for me. Xx k

[happy daze john in oz]

Marion, it all depends on the time of day when you look at him and the anmount of grog he had consumed the night before, or where he had been and what he had been up to. There have been times when the man in the glass had no possible connection to the man looking at him.

[Rodney Mills]

I would have bet dollars to doughnuts (and lost obviously) that this was authored by Rudyard Kipling. I will have to look-up Mr. Wimbro, thanks.

[Captain Kong]

I don't recognise that man in the glass.
I am 18 but a 81 year old looks at me,
, I am young, handsome and high class
So that cannot be me
not some old geezer on the bones of his ass.
.
a load of rubbish I know,
Brian, burbling after emptying my bottle of Mount Gay Rum from Barbados.

[Rodney Mills]

In reading "Wimbro's" poem from the top to the bottom. thus not seeing the authors name, I would have bet dollars to doughnuts (and lost) that this poem was written by Rudyard Kipling. I've just looked up the author and read another of his works "My religion", a marvelous piece, I will find the rest of his oeuvre, which I am sure will be equally as enjoyable. Thank you.

This is my favorite Kipling poem:

If.

If you can keep your head when all about you are

loosing theirs and blaming it on you.

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

or being hated but don't give way to hating, and

yet don't look to good nor talk to wise;

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;

If you can think—and not make thoughts your master;

if you can meet with triumph and disaster and

treat these two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

and stoop and build em up with worn out tools:


If you can make one heap of all your winnings

and risk them on one turn of pitch and toss,

and lose, And start again at your beginnings

and never breath a word about your loss.

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

to serve your turn long after they are gone.

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

except the will which said to them, "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your common

virtue,

Or walk with Kings—nore lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, But none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

with sixty seconds' worth of distance run,

Yours is the earth and everything that's in it,

And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!


Rudyard Kipling

Magnificent! Years ago I tried to make this my mantra, unfortunately for me I have never made more than an ambitious fifty percent at any one time..., but I am still trying.

[Rodney Mills]

As a belated birthday present Marion here is a little gift:

My Religion
by Dale Wimbrow


MY CHURCH, AND MY CREED

You ask me "what is my religion"?

Now what if I say I have None?

You'll be wrongly impressed,

And unduly distressed

So wait - I have only begun.



My creed in the sense that you mean it,

Has no single symbol, or sign.

Big, impressive, or small,

There is good in them all,

So perhaps Your religion is mine.



My doctrine is any that stands for

The honor and virtue of men.

For whatever we preach,

We're all striving to reach

A mutual goal in the end.



My church is the one that is nearest

Wherever I happen to be.

The place where men go

Their devotion to show,

Is good - and sufficient for me.



What matters the Name on the mileposts

That stand by the path you have trod?

If the pathway leads UP

Then at last you shall sup

With the infinite army of God.



Thank you for the introduction to this fine poet.

Rodney