"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!"
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
We Wear The Mask, in the 1913 collection of his work, The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar.
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Paul_Laurence_Dunbar
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
Paul Laurence Dunbar
Paul Laurence Dunbar (June 27, 1872 – February 9, 1906) was an American poet and writer. Dunbar gained national recognition for his book of poems, Lyrics of a Lowly Life (1896).
9 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by Paul Laurence Dunbar →
Related Quotes
"An angel, robed in spotless white, Bent down and kissed the sleeping Night. Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.…"
"It is a little dark still, but there are warnings of the day and somewhere out of the darkness a bird is singing to t…"
"Because you love me I have much achieved, Had you despised me then I must have failed, But since I knew you trusted a…"
"You are sweet, O Love, dear Love, You are soft as the nesting dove. Come to my heart and bring it rest As the bird fl…"
"I know what the caged bird feels, alas! When the sun is bright on the upland slopes; When the wind blows soft through…"
"I started writing when I was mute. I always thought I could write because I loved to read so much. I loved the melody…"
"I was always interested in fair play, probably from reading the works of Paul Dunbar, Langston Hughes, and Charles Di…"
"the title I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is from [Paul Lawrence] Dunbar's "Sympathy.""
"Aye, think! Since time and life began, Your mind has only feared and slept; Of all the beasts they called you man Onl…"
"Would you end war? Create great Peace."