I am looking for the name of the author who wrote the poem - The man in the Glass. The poem begins;

When you get what you want in your struggle for self and the world makes you king for a day....

The poem ends with;

But your final reward is the heartache and tears if you've cheated the man in the glass

-- David Develle (davidp42@aol.com), December 05, 1998

Answers

actually it is the guy, not the man, and several 'versions' and 'authors'have been mentioned since it was first published in 1934 - so here is it, and the actual author : . The guy in the glass ( The man in the glass ) by Dale Wimbrow - 1934 ( 1895 - 1954 )

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.

-- ilza (ilza@pobox.com), February 16, 1999.