Paul Laurence Dunbar, an African American poet of the 1800s, penned many great poems; “We Wear the Mask” is not the least of these. His poem depicts the black community in the face of the white world. As the son of two former slaves, Dunbar undoubtedly knows “the mask” intimately. Using end line rhymes paired tightly eight syllable lines, repetition, and a prevailing extended metaphor, Dunbar drives his poem directly into the minds of his readers, making sure they do not miss the point.

            Though not always employed, rhyme is a powerful element of poetry when present. Dunbar knows this and uses it to effectively propel his poem. His opening stanza:

                        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 (Dunbar 1),

shows Dunbar’s end rhyme; the scheme he employs: aabbc, aabd, aabbad. End rhyme, in this poem, serves to effectively pull the reader through to the end of the poem. By pairing it with lines restricted to eight syllables, Dunbar creates an almost nursery-rhyme like rhythm. In his third stanza however, his last line, cutting short of eight syllables, stands with an emphatic four syllables. Again, in his last stanza, Dunbar utilizes the same technique for the last line of the poem. Dunbar’s awareness of rhyme and syllable structure provides the perfect bone structure for his poem’s rhythm.

            Rhythm, however is not the only driving force in “We Wear the Mask;” repetition also has its influence in the poem. From the start, Dunbar introduces the repetition of his statements of “we:”  “We wear…we smile…we wear…we smile…we sing…we wear,” (Dunbar 1). These statements create a type of solidarity in the poem. Not only does Dunbar introduce harmony in his lines through repetition, but he also creates a tone of grim determination. “We wear,” is by nature more emphatic than, “we might wear,” or “we should wear,” or “we have worn.” By stating that “we wear the mask,” Dunbar forces the statement home, drilling it relentlessly. This insistence is linked to the determination to keep the mask on. The repetition of this statement is almost like a call to arms; “wear the mask,” do not let it down. Dunbar’s last line is almost a triumphant declaration: “We wear the mask!” (Dunbar 1). Dunbar also favors “w” sounds in his poem, employing alliteration: “We wear the mask…why should the world be overwise…while we wear the mask…world dream otherwise, we wear the mask!” (Dunbar 1). This form of repetition and rhyme also pushes the poem forward.

            Dunbar’s use of repetition, rhyme and syllable structure all combine to shape his extended metaphor.  The poet’s most repeated line, “we wear the mask,” also serves as Dunbar’s metaphor. The mask Dunbar speaks of most likely is the “black face” mask: the mask “that grins and lies// hides…cheeks and shades…eyes.”  Dunbar’s poem speaks of the masquerade of black people in America, who may not wear a literal mask, but do wear a figurative one. Dunbar is comparing black Americans in general to black performers on stage who, “sing,” and wear the “black face” while silently their “cries…from tortured souls arise,” (Dunbar 1). His poem speaks to the black masses who wear a mask, hiding their true selves behind grins and lies, a theme his readers undoubtedly understood.

            In conclusion, Paul Laurence Dunbar’s poem, “We Wear the Mask,” effectively draws the reader through the poem by implementing end rhyme paired closely with a set number of syllables, repetition, and a powerful extended metaphor. Dunbar’s poem will forever live on as a classic for what it offers and represents. The echoes of rhythm, the insistence of repetition, and the clarity of the metaphor will continue to touch readers for centuries, as it has in the past. Paul Laurence Dunbar’s portrayal of the black community in his time is priceless. America will continue to learn from what his eyes and pen reveal in verse.