We Wear the Mask by Paul Laurence Dunbar

My complete gratitude goes out to Eyre for sharing this poem with me. Enough so that I'm making it my entry for today. 

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!

Do You Not Understand

This poem was written by a dear, trusted and close friend because we were being bashed for being gay and being open and honest about ourselves in the genre we chose to write and just being who WE really are... Open and honest without ourselves. To this day I'm still so impressed with it that I'm going to post it here for all to read. In light of the teen suicides taking place which is utterly saddening and appalling I feel this poem couldn't be more perfectly timed and warranted. The words touched my heart and I hope it touches yours as well.

Do you not understand?
The pain you cause
You scorn us for what we are
You sneer when we show our love
Or turn away with snide comments
Worst yet you slide away
As if we are loathsome
As if being near us will contaminate you

Do you not understand?
We are people too
We love, we laugh,
We hurt, we cry,
We each seek what you would deny us
Someone to make us whole
Someone to share our lives

Do you not understand?
There is no sin in loving
You do it why can’t we

It is no crime in laughter
You do it why can’t we
It is a sin to make us hurt
Because of what we are
It is a crime to make us cry
Because of what we are

Do you not understand?
We are people too
We love, we laugh,
We hurt, we cry,
We each seek just as you
Someone to make us whole
Someone to share our lives
Someone to love us
Do you not understand?
We are what we are

We cannot change that
We are two men
Who love, laugh, hurt, cry
Just as you do
You will not defeat us
Just because you revile us
We will survive and be strong
Together