We Wear The Mask- Paul Laurence Dunbar

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Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

              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 over-wise, 

    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!

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