My Mirrored Self

It has to do with mirrors
and we are a mirrored tribe
In other times we saw ourselves
reflected in the eyes
of wives and children
Those were the days
our fortunes rose and fell
like breath
Their smaller hands within our own

I saw myself just yesterday, shaving
Looking pretty good
Knew damned well that I was keeping up
Compared myself in corporate style
and my quarterly report
I knew would show a profit
Felt compelled to discontinue
research and development
in search of further dividends

Forsaking something small and frail
to reach for grander stuff
My mirror you know, it sets these goals
and I can but go along
My neighborhood's a corporate zone
the competition fierce
I have to spend my child's share in this
or fall behind
and so I take it running

He'll forgive me, he's a modern kid
aware of each contrived defense
In it as well for the short term growth
or so I think, when I stop
in my reflected glance to think at all
So if the markets I've contrived
should crash and burn
He'll take it like a man
and pay off all my loans

There's really not a lot of choice
not easy ones at least
One must keep up appearances
and they're tougher every year
It's not easy, but I try
to slash and burn my way
It takes resources you know and guts
to keep these paper profits
and the meek inherit nothing

His legacy will be my credit cards
I really plan to pay them off
before I'm done
But my mirrored self has many needs
beyond the limits of my cash
My air's still fit to breathe
and my credit limit's soaring
My mirrored self wishes him well
and takes the short-term profit