Monday, January 2, 2012

The Man In The Glass

As I work on the new series for 2012, I have come across a great poem while cleaning my house. I have a lot of awards from high school and college that I was rummaging through and this classic poem was found. After researching it, I have found it to be written by a man named Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.. And it dates back to 1934. According to the family, the name of the poem has been changed and the author is mostly now know as anonymous or someone else. You can check out the official site for the author and the original poem here. This version and name is slightly different, but it is the one I found so I will post it. It is amazing to read this poem and see how relevant it still is today.

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 wife,
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life,
Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people may 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 the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end.
And you've passed your most dangerous, 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 the back as you pass.
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears,
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

-Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr


10 comments:

  1. One of my efforts at personal growth this past year was to begin reading likely poems out loud and try to see if I can develop more of an appreciation for poetry.

    I was able to enjoy this.

    Grace and peace.

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  2. I'm glad you were able to enjoy it. I had not read it for a few years and knew right away it had to go up on the blog.

    Hope your new year is starting off great!

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  3. I LOVE this poem and have read it many times through the years... and couldn't agree more!

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  4. I am not much on poems but I enjoyed this one. I think I read it once a long time ago. Great post. God Bless you. Happy New Year!

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  5. The poem is clever. But somewhat worldly because we all require to look to the man who died on the cross for the standards. People pleasing is a snare, but self pleasing is worse and leads to sins such as pride.

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    1. SO TRUE ANONYMOUS, WORLDLY, NOT GODLY, SELFISH TO THE 10TH DEGREE!!! HEART ACHE AND TEARS BC YOUR LIFE ISN'T WHAT YOU DREAMED IT WOULD BE FOR WHATEVER REASON AND BLAME OTHERS SO THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY IMMORAL ACTS, NOT GOOD.

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    2. Created in God's image with Christ as my Redeemer and His Spirit in me, I look in the glass and see beyond myself to see Him because I must die to self and live abandoned for Him ("For me to live is Christ, to die is gain"). Therefore, humanistic as this poem may seem, there is gallant truth to be gleaned--don't miss it.

      "See what that Man [Holy Spirit] has to say..."
      "The Fellow [God the Father] whose verdict counts most in your life..."
      "If you can't look Him [Jesus] straight in the eye..." (think Adam and Eve hiding).
      "If the Man Jesus in the glass is your Friend..."
      "If you've cheated the Man [the Almighty Creator whose Spirit lives in you] in the glass..."

      At the end of life, I want to lie down knowing I've given my all to Him every day of my life—
      The Spirit's tender voice has gently led me every day.
      I will stand before my Creator and give my account.
      I never have been nor ever will be out of His loving presence.
      He's been my Friend who has stuck closer than a brother.
      I hope I will have no regret for any moments where I chose to put myself and my ways before Him and His ways.

      Those (and more) are high expectations of excellence that can be drawn from this poem and supported in truth by the Word of God.

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