To go along with Monday's post...
We Wear the Mask--Paul Laurence 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.
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.
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!
This poem is a depiction of a slave population in pain and suffering--hidden behind a mask of contentment. There were many emotions slaves felt the need to keep from their masters. They didn't let on if they could read or had knowledge of certain things, they didn't express joy or anger or sadness...they expressed a placid contentment to mask these other feelings. Any other could make a landowner worried about their conditions or ideas, and would possibly take action on the slave.
What do you think?
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!
This poem is a depiction of a slave population in pain and suffering--hidden behind a mask of contentment. There were many emotions slaves felt the need to keep from their masters. They didn't let on if they could read or had knowledge of certain things, they didn't express joy or anger or sadness...they expressed a placid contentment to mask these other feelings. Any other could make a landowner worried about their conditions or ideas, and would possibly take action on the slave.
What do you think?
--Megan
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