We Wear the Mask - A poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar


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Paul Laurence Dunbar - We Wear the Mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

Added: on May 9th, 2007 at 9:06 AM | Viewed: 12533 times | Comments and analysis of We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar Comments (23)

We Wear the Mask - Comments and Information
Poet: Paul Laurence Dunbar Poem: We Wear the Mask Comment 23 of 23, added on March 7th, 2008 at 11:38 AM. How fitting that Paul Lawrence Dunbar wrote about wearing a mask. He wore a mask and he was a tortured soul. He raped his wife before marrying her and they separated because he almost beat her to death and then left her for dead. He was a wife beater, alcoholic, a rapist and possibly bi-polar. He may have died of tuberculosis but I am sure his soul was tortured because of his unchristian like behavior. Rochelle from United States Comment 22 of 23, added on February 26th, 2008 at 9:03 PM. this poem was so totally awsome!! touches my heart gabby from United States Comment 21 of 23, added on May 9th, 2007 at 9:06 AM. i am doing a report on Paul Laurence Dunbar and this is by far one of the best poems of his. because we do wear the mask and hide our deepest feelings and we dont really show our potential. Datravius Capers from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, We Wear the Mask, has received 23 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Paul Laurence Dunbar Poem: We Wear the Mask Last read: Jul 8 2008, 4:40PM Viewed 12533 times. Added on May 9th, 2007 at 9:06 AM.

Dunbar Info
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