|
|
Classic and Contemporary Poetry
WE WEAR THE MASK, by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR Poem Explanation Poet's Biography First Line: We wear the mask that grins and lies Last Line: We wear the mask! Subject(s): African Americans; Grief; Hypocrisy; Racism; Negroes; American Blacks; Sorrow; Sadness; Racial Prejudice; Bigotry | |||
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! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...BLACK WOMAN by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON FOREDOOM by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON I MUST BECOME A MENACE TO MY ENEMIES by JUNE JORDAN A SONG FOR SOWETO by JUNE JORDAN ON THE LOSS OF ENERGY (AND OTHER THINGS) by JUNE JORDAN POEM ABOUT POLICE VIOLENCE by JUNE JORDAN DRAFT OF A RAP FOR WEN HO LEE by JUNE JORDAN THE NIGHT THAT LORCA COMES by BOB KAUFMAN THE MYSTIC RIVER by GALWAY KINNELL ERE SLEEP COMES DOWN TO SOOTHE THE WEARY EYES by PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR |
| |