Poem: We Wear the Mask Poet: Paul Laurence Dunbar
Title
I think this poem can be abstract or straightforward because it can have a hidden meaning about hiding or have a concrete meaning about something or somewhere that a mask is needed like a masquerade or occasion. But, I predict this poem is abstract.
Paraphrase
We wear the mask that grins and lies, they wear a mask that smiles and lies
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,— you can’t see their cheeks or eyes
This debt we pay to human guile they have to pay because of deceitfulness
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, they smile even with their hearts shredded …show more content…
subliminal messages come from the mouth Why should the world be over-wise, why should the world know everything
In counting all our tears and sighs? they count every time someone cries or sighs
Nay, let them only see us, while no, they should only be seen while they wear We wear the mask. the mask
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries they smile, but God, when people pray or cry
To thee from tortured souls arise. to him it comes from pain
We, sing but oh the clay is vile they sing but the clay under their feet is evil
Beneath our feet, and long the mile; and the mile to walk is long
But let the world dream otherwise, let the world overlook it We wear the mask! they wear the mask
Connotation
In the first line “”the mask that grins and lies” is personified because masks can’t lie because it’s an inanimate