We wear the MASK

Ancestor
PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR

Born: 27th June 1872
Crossed over: 9th February 1906

poet and novelist


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 overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them see only 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!

copyright -PAUL L. DUNBAR

MAY THE ANCESTORS BE PLEASED WITH HIS EFFORTS!