Arise Quote by 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. Why should the world be otherwise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see thus, 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!”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “We Wear the Mask”, 1896
People hide pain behind false smiles, masking true emotions from the world.
In simple terms: We hide suffering behind smiles.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge hidden pain.
Themes
masking
pain
social façade
Mood
somber
empathetic
Type
poetic
reflective
When to use this quote
- therapy
- support groups
- creative writing
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
psychology
emotional labor
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we wear masks?
- How can we safely reveal our true selves?
A Different Perspective
Masks can protect but also isolate, preventing genuine connection.
![“Nothing, not even the best and noblest, can go on as it now is. Nothing, not even what is lowest and most bestial, will not be raised again if it submits to death. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Flesh and blood cannot come to the Mountains [heaven]. Not because they are…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ba6/anonymous-1_arise_nothing-not-even-the-best-and-noblest-ca_27244.jpg)
