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We Wear The Mask

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We Wear The Mask
by Paul Laurence Dunbar

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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.

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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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Paul Laurence Dunbar
(1872-1906)

Poet Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on June 27, 1872 in Dayton, Ohio. He was a prolific writer of poetry (in both dialect verse and literary English), short stories, and plays. learn more

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