Changing Masks
#11128 / viewed 5957 times
5
We Wear The Mask
By Paul Lawrence 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 overwise,
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!
-----------------
--> The poem appeared on http://www.dunbarsite.org/
maskspaullawrencedunbardunbarpoemmoodswingchangechangerillustrationstylestylizedblackcolourscouleurskleurensmilesadnesshappyguilesubtlecircleroundcercledreamillusioncarapaceprotectionshadeswearjonglerclownbigjugglebenheine
Comments (5)
Member
badham, on July 20, 2010 report post reply applause 0
Guest
thx again, Peter, I just posted several of your poems on my blog
Thanks so much Ben. Perhaps you could also 'connect' some of my other poems at Poemhunter, etc., to some of your other illustrations? Doesn't need to be an exact connection … ;-)
, on November 24, 2008 report post reply applause 0
Executive
BenHeine, on November 24, 2008 report post reply applause 0
Guest
Changing masks of myriad subtleties today
In the colorful worlds we all live in
Spiral bounds to its many turning way
Head to head in tomorrow's coming spin
Waves from the sky through emotions of song
To follow your spirits from cloud to cloud
Dreams of your golden thrust spinning headlong
From concrete forests and to the street crowd
Opportunities of living color turn
Jesters of every man's inside juggling
Desiring shades that come to mind and burn
From their work about distances and struggling
Masks like transparent ornamentation
Theater of smiles and sadness sensation
, on November 24, 2008 report post reply applause 0
Member
Deleted Person, on April 27, 2008 report post reply applause 0