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;
. L& V# X. g4 G6 G& }. {  G2 OWith torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.
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9 a! e- T3 n5 C9 i2 K+ T$ [Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
* m0 A! N# N$ B% v+ l% lNay, let them only see us, while
- C4 |7 [+ g. f& b8 `% k- m       We wear the mask.
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We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
2 {1 p4 n" p8 H  j  j4 C6 HBeneath our feet, and long the mile;
( K7 t+ V% f" t- i6 Q5 Q+ k: HBut let the world dream otherwise,
% W! J2 T0 R" T1 \4 i       We wear the mask!