We Wear the Mask (Poem)

SeanJohn

BY PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR
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,
( s' M2 p& z! s6 ~  E/ U8 WAnd mouth with myriad subtleties.

4 x( i1 H+ o" @. w& fWhy should the world be over-wise,
: [0 ]5 x+ r) y2 pIn counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
; L( ^/ O% t) s       We wear the mask.

2 u  W4 `7 y+ ], hWe smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
. t' {! U: Y1 N' R, @2 ^; u) {. CBeneath our feet, and long the mile;
0 h' u4 p4 d8 m# i9 |- O3 O4 rBut let the world dream otherwise,
       We wear the mask!