"We Wear the Mask" 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 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!

Paul Laurence Dunbar was an African-American poet, born in 1872 to parents who were former slaves. Read "We Wear the Mask," by Paul Laurence Dunbar, then answer the question that follows.

Explain how the context of Dunbar's poem is relevant to understand the meaning of the poem.

HELP HELP HELP I GTG TO LUNCH BUT I HAVE TO FINISH THIS QUESTION PLEASE ASAP