Wearing A Mask Poems

Published: August 2017

Collection of poems about how we create a mask to hide our pain from other people.

12 Poems About Wearing A Mask To Hide The Pain

We Wear The Mask
- By Paul Laurence Dunbar
Famous Poem

Both of Paul Laurence Dunbar’s parents were slaves, and he was born less than a decade after slavery became illegal. “We Wear the Mask” was published in 1896. Dunbar wrote about what it was like to be African American during the late 1800s and the pain experienced by the black community. In this poem, he writes about how the truth is not always what it appears to be when a mask is used. In addition to applying to race and society, this poem can be applied to any situation where someone uses a mask to hide the truth.

in Famous Sad Poems

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,

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!
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A wonderful poem Paul Laurence Dunbar wrote many years ago, after slavery was abolished. How it must have hurt to know his parents had been slaves... Imagine the pain that slavery...

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Behind The Mask
- By Melisa Bernards
- Published by Family Friend Poems February 2015 with permission of the Author.
This poem is about the smile we let the world see while inside we are dying a little every day.

Poem About Depression And Pain

in Depression Poems

Hiding the hurt, hiding the pain,
Hiding the tears that fall like rain.
Saying I'm fine when I'm anything but.
This ache in my soul rips at my gut.

Hiding the hurt, hiding the pain,
Hiding the tears that fall like rain.
Saying I'm fine when I'm anything but.
This ache in my soul rips at my gut.
My skin is on fire; I burn from within.
The calm on my face is an ongoing sin.
The world must stay out; I've built up a wall.
My fragile lie will collapse should it ever fall.
Loneliness consumes me; it eats away the years
Until my life is swallowed by unending fears.
Waiting for someone to see I wear a mask
And care enough to remove it; is that too much to ask?
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Thank you so much! I'm so happy my experiences can have an affect on others. I always felt so alone, but it's time for all of us to realize we aren't alone, and we need to stand together and...

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Mask
- By Matt
- Published by Family Friend Poems October 2008 with permission of the Author.
This was a poem originally composed by my loved one as a child. When she showed it to me, I immediately fell in love with it, so we worked on it again. This is dedicated and should be accredited solely to her. I love you.

Poem About Wearing A Mask That Always Smiles

in Alone Poems

Analysis of Form and Technique

I was once sad and lonely,
Having nobody to comfort me,
So I wore a mask that always smiled,
To hide my feelings behind a lie.

I was once sad and lonely,
Having nobody to comfort me,
So I wore a mask that always smiled,
To hide my feelings behind a lie.

Before long, I had many friends;
With my mask, I was one of them.
But deep inside I still felt empty,
Like I was missing a part of me.

Nobody could hear my cries at night,
For I designed my mask to hide the lies.
Nobody could see the pain I was feeling,
For I designed my mask to be laughing.

Behind all the smiles were the tears,
And behind all the comfort were the fears.
Everything you think you see
Wasn't everything there was to me.

Day by day
I was slowly dying.
I couldn't go on,
There was something missing..

Until now I'm still searching
For the thing that'll stop my crying,
For someone who'll erase my fears,
For the person who'll wipe my tears.

But till then, I'll keep on smiling,
Hiding behind this mask I'm wearing.
Hoping one day I can smile,
Till then, I'll be here...waiting.

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I know you don't know me, but I want you to know I care about you and what you are going through. I know how bad bullying can be, and I also know how dear a Gran can be. Mine won't be with us...

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Just My Mask
- By Troy Dayln Bunker
- Published by Family Friend Poems November 2011 with permission of the Author.
This is a poem about my day-to-day life. I go through my days, pretending nothing is wrong. I am protecting my family and friends from what I feel. Every time they ask how I am, I always reply, "Fine." I never am fine, never good or well. I wear a mask of happiness and joy so they won't suspect the depth or severity of my pain.

Pretending To Be Okay

in Hurting Poems by Teens

Of course I'm fine, why do you ask?
Oh, don't mind this, it's just my mask.
It hides the grief, it hides the strife.
I wear this mask to escape the knife.

Of course I'm fine, why do you ask?
Oh, don't mind this, it's just my mask.
It hides the grief, it hides the strife.
I wear this mask to escape the knife.

Don't forget this, my pain is real.
I'm not lying, this is how I feel.
You sit there saying it can't be true.
It is for me, just not for you.

You say my heart must be a sight,
Cold as ice and black as night.
It's not my heart, only my soul,
But killing me must be your goal.

You're getting close, I hope you know.
You really don't have far to go.
Soon enough I'll reach my end.
You'll have my soul to tear and rend.

But you don't know, you never ask.
You never look beyond the mask.
The look on my face is giving me away.
I wonder now, what will you say?

You've asked me here; you'll know now.
I'll take it off, I'll take a bow...
I can't do it now, tell you the truth.
I must keep up my pretense of youth.

"Of course I'm fine, why do you ask?
Oh, don't mind this, it's just my mask."
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Thank you for your story. When I was nine years old, I was raped. And it continued for two years. I never told anyone because the man threatened to hurt my family. When I wrote this...

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The Mask
- By Kasi
- Published by Family Friend Poems November 2009 with permission of the Author.
A poem written by a teen who had most everything yet was still very, very depressed. She was hopelessly afraid to tell her parents, even though they probably would have been very understanding. She had this problem for a few years.

in Depression Poems by Teens

I'm great, fine, spectacular. In a way
I relish every night, and I live every day.
I live, I laugh, I write, I sing.
I wonder what the new days will bring.

I'm great, fine, spectacular. In a way
I relish every night, and I live every day.
I live, I laugh, I write, I sing.
I wonder what the new days will bring.

Then I get home, and I take off the mask.
The day, and almost impossible task,
is finally over, so I lie down
and wait patiently for the day that I die.

I cry, I scream, I bawl, and sleep,
even though I have promises to keep.
I wait, and wonder, and cry some more,
and I ache and burn from my very core.

Then I'm not alone, and the mask reappears:
out goes the grief, pain, and all of the tears,
as I am a happy person, cheerful all the day.
A world full of rainbow, not one shade of grey.

Of course I'm not okay, I'm not fine,
no matter how much I seem to shine.
I don't even know why I feel this...
why my existence is one long, endless abyss.

But it is and will be, so I cling to life,
as one day I might slip and end it with a knife.
But I'm still here, no matter what my dreams might say,
and I hope that one day I will actually be okay.
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Yeah, I know depression sucks. I put on a mask, and when I get home I break down, wanting to die. It hurts going through school pretending to be okay, and when someone asks if you're okay,...

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Happy Girl
- By Anjali Velani
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2017 with permission of the Author.
I started feeling depressed when I was 8 years old. At first I didn't know why I felt so down all the time, but as I grew up I started to realize that it wasn't normal. So I decided to hide my depression and promised myself that I would always keep smiling, no matter what. As I grew older, that promise became harder and harder to keep. I am now 13 years old and still dealing with depression. I wrote this poem originally when I was 10 and found it recently, so I edited it and decided to put it up here.

Dealing With Depression On Your Own

in Depression Poems by Teens

When you look at me,
What do you see?
Do you glimpse a happy girl,
Or do you see the real me?

When you look at me,
What do you see?
Do you glimpse a happy girl,
Or do you see the real me?

Most people see the happy girl
Who laughs at everything,
Whose smile will never falter
And has everything life could give.

But if you look closer,
You'll see the real me,
The girl who cries in corners
And has forgotten how to feel.

This girl has fought a war,
A war against herself.
This girl is a murderer;
She killed her former self.

This girl is drowning,
Suffocating in her thoughts.
Her eyes hold a silent plea,
A plea that no one sees.

For everyone is distracted,
Distracted by the happy girl,
The girl who always smiles.
Even when she cries for help,
They never see her tears.

Please look past the happy girl.
Reach out,
Take off her mask,
And if you do,
Wipe her tears
And take the blade out of her grasp.

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Heart touching poem. I've suffered from severe depression since I was 12. I am 15 now, and I understand how it feels. It might be different as well. Most presume males don't go through this,...

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I Will Wear Masks
- By Joe Dirt
- Published by Family Friend Poems May 2011 with permission of the Author.
I have beat cancer twice and am presently fighting again along with the effects of a stroke. The attempt on my life erased 42 years of memories. I have fought and won a battle of addiction. Friends have been leaving my life, and some others have gone as far as to convince people none of this happened. I can't find the strength to reach out again in fear of what will happen if I do. Losing friends and your identity is a lonely place made only for me. JOE DIRT JUNE/2010

in Dark Poems

In times of trouble and insanity,
I carry masks to disguise
the pain I carry
secure behind my eyes.

In times of trouble and insanity,
I carry masks to disguise
the pain I carry
secure behind my eyes.

I can never let out again
the misery I hide.
To hell with my dignity,
to hell with my pride.

From this day forward,
and forevermore,
I will mount this mask
that will be my lore.

No reaching out when I am weak,
no solace will I seek.

When you look for answers,
when you say your prayers,
all you will see are masks,
and no pain that I bare
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This poem truly spoke to me. It's so accurate on so many levels. Life has been hard, and I've had to grow up fast. I've had to be strong and show no panic so my mother would think everything...

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My Mask
- By Ellie Nazza
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2011 with permission of the Author.
Three people who were very close to me and my family suddenly died. I felt like I had to help my family get through this and be positive, so I pretended to be happy and never told anyone how I felt, and now 6 years later I'm still crying most nights because I've never properly dealt with their death, and still nobody knows. This is also my first ever poem and I'm only a kid, so take that into consideration when you read it.

Hiding Grief

in Grief Poems

Every morning I wake up and put on a mask.
The mask makes everything seem all right,
But they don't know I cry at night.
The nightmares just won't go away.

Every morning I wake up and put on a mask.
The mask makes everything seem all right,
But they don't know I cry at night.
The nightmares just won't go away.
If only I knew it was your last day.
For six years I've felt this pain.
The feeling just won't go away.
Everyone thinks I've dealt with your death the best,
But without this mask I'd be a mess.
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First, I am profoundly sorry for the loss you've had to endure. Please take comfort in knowing you are not alone. Yours is the only poem that spoke clearly to my heart. So well put. The...

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The Ruse
- By Annabel Sheila
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2008 with permission of the Author.
No one can truly understand depression unless you either live with it or love someone who lives with it. This poem is dedicated to my beautiful daughter who has been suffering from depression for so long I don't remember when she wasn't depressed. All I can do is try and love her through her pain...

Poem Unmasking The Hidden Struggle Of Depression

in Mental Illness Poems

She's beauty, style, poise and grace,
At least she appears to be.
But no one knows the girl who hides
Behind the face they see.

She's beauty, style, poise and grace,
At least she appears to be.
But no one knows the girl who hides
Behind the face they see.

Her self-esteem is all but gone,
Of her ego there's barely a trace.
There's so much pain behind the mask
She wears upon her face.

Depression has controlled her life
With far too many tears.
Her smile is fake; she's good at it;
She's been doing it for years.

The cover is what attracts us
To the story within the book.
And she's afraid that without the ruse,
No one would bother to look.
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I myself have a daughter that is now going to be 26 in a little over a month. She doesn't leave the house at all, she comes to my house and to her Dr's appointments but not by choice. They...

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A Mask
- By Jordyn Alberts
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2013 with permission of the Author.
People don't know who I really am. My mask covers my true feelings.

Poem About Hidden Pain And Longing To Be Seen

in Depression Poems

I smile, I laugh, I joke around,
but my feelings no one has ever found.
They see me every day with a smile on my face,
but when I get back to this place

I smile, I laugh, I joke around,
but my feelings no one has ever found.
They see me every day with a smile on my face,
but when I get back to this place
I feel as if it's my own hell,
as if I'm locked in a cell.
The tears run down my face.
I sit in my room, quiet and wondering
if anyone sees the pain I feel
and how it's oh so real.
Another day comes as I put on my mask and hide.
No one sees the pain I feel inside.
I laugh and I smile,
but inside I'm sad.
I wish someone could see.
I get back to this place I call hell,
where it all began and where I fell.
I take off my mask, but I'm still all alone,
and it kills me that no one will ever know.
I wish I could be the girl
that people think they really see.
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This is so relatable. People always think I'm happy all the time; they think I never feel pain and they try to never make me feel pain. The thing is, I already do. Whenever I do feel pain and...

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I Am Alone
- By Ariana Nicole Butler
- Published by Family Friend Poems May 2011 with permission of the Author.
This is a poem that I wrote a few months back. From the outside I look like that kind of girl who seems to never feel sad, but on the inside I hurt really bad. You can't always see the pain someone is feeling.

Poem About Feeling Lost And Alone

in Hurting Poems by Teens

The yells,
yells and screams,
unwanted dreams,
I'm never wanted,

The yells,
yells and screams,
unwanted dreams,
I'm never wanted,
as it seems.

My wrists,
Wrists with scars that show,
friends are the only ones
that truly know.

Sitting,
sitting on my bed,
all the screams,
go through my head.

Searching,
searching for my dreams,
just trying
to ignore the screams.

Falling,
falling, I am lost,
a broken heart,
that's what it costs.

Chances,
chances I try to take,
but each time I try,
my heart sure breaks.

Sing,
sing and dance is what I do,
spend all my life,
trying to impress you.

Gone,
gone, I'm all alone,
no one here to heal
my heart of stone.

Greatness,
greatness is in my soul,
but when I speak out,
I become a fool.

People,
people everywhere,
when I walk by,
they all just stare.

Same,
same, I want to shout,
they all fit in,
but I stand out.

Running,
running from my fears,
I have no one
to wipe my tears.

Trusting,
Trusting in my heart,
somewhere in this world
I'll find my part.

Boom,
Boom, my heart beats slow,
there will be a time
when I shall glow.

Cheering,
cheering, I must not boast,
I owe it all
to my ghost.

Smile,
smile, I must not frown,
many people
I can't let down.

Sometimes,
sometimes I pretend I'm okay,
I hold back the tears,
and just walk away.

Now,
so now my heart is stone,
wish someone could see
that I'm all alone.
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Even when I am alone, I feel this way. I have scars on my wrist from the times I couldn't take the pain of living with people who tell you you're not good enough. that no matter what you do...

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The Masks
- By Nancy Crosskill Longanbach
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2015 with permission of the Author.
My husband passed away just before his 44th birthday. After the dust settled, bills paid and left with very little, I found it hard to put up a "false front." My son has a way with words and gave me some good advice. He had just turned 12.

Poem On Hiding Grief

in Husband Death Poems

I have so many different masks.
I wear them one by one.
I see them in a pile
When my day is finally done.

I have so many different masks.
I wear them one by one.
I see them in a pile
When my day is finally done.

There's one for when I'm happy
And one I wear when sad.
There's one for when I'm pensive
For all that I have had.

I try not to hide behind them,
To just let my sunshine glow.
I've learned from you, "Just be yourself,
And no one else will know."

"You had so much and lost it,
And you tried to get it back.
It may take some time! Be patient!
It's just confidence you lack!"

If I stay true and honest,
There will be no need to wear
These masks I see at bedtime
That are lying on my chair.
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Wearing A Mask Poems

12 Poems About Wearing A Mask To Hide The Pain

This poem is about the smile we let the world see while inside we are dying a little every day.

This was a poem originally composed by my loved one as a child. When she showed it to me, I immediately fell in love with it, so we worked on it again. This is dedicated and should be accredited solely to her. I love you.

A poem written by a teen who had most everything yet was still very, very depressed. She was hopelessly afraid to tell her parents, even though they probably would have been very understanding. She had this problem for a few years.

People don't know who I really am. My mask covers my true feelings.

This is a poem that I wrote a few months back. From the outside I look like that kind of girl who seems to never feel sad, but on the inside I hurt really bad. You can't always see the pain someone is feeling.

My husband passed away just before his 44th birthday. After the dust settled, bills paid and left with very little, I found it hard to put up a "false front." My son has a way with words and gave me some good advice. He had just turned 12.