Once in a while we come across something that really resonates with us! This poem was first introduced to us when we were children… we memorized it then, have never forgotten it, and now it is displayed in a frame in our office. We both love this poem so much and hope you all like it too!
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 the guy has to say,
For it isn’t your father, your mother, or wife
Who, judgment upon you must pass,
For the fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
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 the most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like little Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you’re a wonderful guy,
But the guy in the glass thinks 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 heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass.
Author: Dale Wimbrow (1895-1954)
Pelf–noun: money or wealth, esp. when regarded with contempt or acquired by reprehensible means. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pelf)