For those in this country that are finally waking up

[Sydnie]

a poem that my father saved after WWII. A little background. My father was in the Navy. He was a radio man. When he got out of the service, he became a fairly well known DJ on a well known radio station (WKNA). One show that he did was called "Smoke Dreams". He had a sultry voice and he would read poetry on this show with wonderful music playing in the background. I guess you could say he was involved in the beginning of talk radio in a way. He later went on to own his own business and to be a member of the state legislature. He was an example for my whole family.

Anyway, my dearly beloved brother passed away on July 30, very suddenly in his sleep. He was only 52. As I was clearing things out of his house I found this notebook in which my father had pasted poems that were an inspiration to him and obviously things that he had read on the air. I was so moved by it, that I read this poem at my brothers funeral as a tribute to both my father and my brother.

It's not fancy. It wasn't written by anyone you have ever heard of. In fact, it's not credited to anyone in particular, but rather to a Bank in Arizona. But it speaks volumes in it's simplicity. We would all do well to think this way everyday. What a better place the world would be.

Now that I have set the stage, here is the poem. I hope it touches you all as it did me.

---

The Guy In The Glass

When you get what you want in your struggle for self;
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 fellow shoes verdict counts most in your life,
Is the guy staring back from the glass.

He's the man you must please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up till the end,
And you've passed the most difficult, dangerous test,
If the man 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 can get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be hearaches and tears,
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

---

Let's hope those that are just seeing the light for the first time can see the reflection from the glass too.

[lastknowngood]

1. Thank You

n/t

[MuseRider]

2. That is very nice

and also true. Thanks for sharing that. It sounds like your dad was a good guy.

[Sydnie]

3. Thank you. He was one of the good guys for sure! n/t