We Wear the Mask
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,
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!
Very cool choice of a "page" for this poem. Very interesting and challenging. (I've obviously been stuck in a rut in my pathways at school lately, to have missed this.)
ReplyDeleteI like how this is written on the mirror, that you can read this poem while looking at the mask.
ReplyDeleteI think that the presentation of this poem is very interesting. Using a mirror really makes the reader think about what the poem is saying about "the mask."
ReplyDeleteThis poem summarizes one of the key components of humanity....
ReplyDeletegreat projects!