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;
This line expresses internal turmoil felt among the speaker and the oppressed group. It is expressed through the juxtaposition of “smile” and “cries”. However, what is also important here is the possession that is established. The speaker possesses the smiles and cries, but there is no ownership claimed over Christ. 
 If we interpret this poem as African Americans being those wearing the mask, the omission of “our” before Christ is important because this Christ is the same Christ those who are inflicting this turmoil (white society) acknowledge. He establishes a commonality between the oppressor and oppressed, establishing his humanity.
We Wear the Mask