31:
285:, having also written poems about the circus, invited Lax over to his house to drink tea and talk about the circus. Despite the stated admiration of Cummings and many other poets, "The Circus of the Sun" was not widely reviewed, a fact lamented by Thomas McDonnell in a review of the poem published in
272:
the poem is, "not a collection of entirely separate poems but a unified book of variations on a theme." Another central theme identified by
Mizingou is grace, writing that in the poem the circus is a place where, "grace enables human beings to relate to others without dominance and without violence."
261:
Jeannine
Mizingou writes that Lax uses the circus as a "microcosm of the universe" that "manifests variety and difference and yet a constant unity and community." McGregor supports this view of the poem when he writes, "the Cristianis remained his vision of how to live in the world as individuals and
312:
William Claire said the poem evoked "the wonder and beauty of motion and people and ideas and faith...." Thomas Merton called the poem "one very fine book" in a letter to Lax. In a critical assessment of Lax's poetry, critic and poet R.C. Kenedy wrote of "The sunset city..." section, " must be one
201:
that he travel with the
Cristiani family and write a "Reporter at Large" story for the magazine. In 1948 Lax was given a $ 500 advance for the project and spent the next month traveling with the Cristiani family and their circus. Over the next three years he would work on what would become "The
236:
After completing the poem Lax struggled to find a publisher. Eventually, Emil
Antonucci, an artist who had made illustrations "The Circus of the Sun" offered to use the money he received from a Guggenheim grant to found Journeyman Press and publish the poem. This began a lifelong collaboration
245:
The poem relies on several
Biblical allusions to develop what Michael McGregor called an "analogy between circus and Creation." Paul Spaeth identifies the opening of "The Circus of the Sun" as a "reworking of the Genesis account of creation." While James Uebbing sees the same lines as an
166:
The poem follows a day in the life of a circus as they arrive in a new town, set up, rehearse, perform and take down the circus. It is arranged according to the phases of the day (morning, afternoon, evening, the midway, and night) which deliberately align with the
179:." Lax used his own experience traveling with the Cristiani Brothers Circus, where he would sometimes perform as a clown as inspiration for the poem. In writing about the circus Lax is able to write about theological ideas of creation and Christian allegory.
317:
Paul Spaeth quotes another appreciation penned by Kenedy referring to "The Circus of the Sun" as one of "the finest volume of poems published by an
English-speaking poet of the generation which comes in the wake of T.S. Eliot."
262:
as a community." The theme of individuals and community is reinforced through the structure of the poem itself, where the poems are individual, various, and different while also unified as a whole. As
151:(1915–2000). First published in 1959 by Journeyman Press it consists of a cycle of 31 short poems that tell the story of a traveling circus. The poem is included in the collections:
229:
was included, now as a poem known as "The sunset city..." Another excerpt, this time containing nearly a third of the completed poem and titled "The Circus", was published in
190:
Lax first met the
Cristiani family when his friend Leonard Robinson was sent to write a piece about the family of acrobats for the "Talk of the Town" section of
482:
182:
Widely considered his best poem it marks the conclusion of the early, lyrical phase of Lax's career before he started writing experimental, minimalist poetry.
313:
of the greatest poems in the
English language" and called its rhythm "the most blood-curdling... yet devised by poet." In his introduction to the collection
326:, called the effect of the poem "the same as... the first chapter of Genesis: there is movement and truth because there is order and purpose."
483:"A Pocket Epic & The Hermit Poet: A Review of Robert Lax's Poems 1962-1997 & Lorine Niedecker's Lake Superior --- David Wojahn"
250:" before calling the overall tone of the poem reticent and distinctive. Strengthening the connection between the Bible and the circus,
871:
803:
730:
705:
621:
556:
531:
407:
30:
213:. There, Lax worked on writing his account of traveling with the circus. After Henley Cay, Lax returned to his hometown of
225:
and presented as part of a forthcoming novel. When published 7 years later by
Journeyman Press, the excerpt published in
572:
273:
Mizingou's reading builds off of the way Thomas Merton saw the poem demonstrating, "the importance of human love."
218:
458:
947:
319:
942:
952:
305:
287:
197:
The
Cristiani family left a lasting impression on Lax. Several years after meeting them he suggested to
400:
The Juggler of Notre Dame and the Medievalizing of Modernity. Volume 6: War and Peace, Sex and Violence
343:"Conversations.org: Remembering Robert Lax—A Conversation with Steve Georgiou, by Richard Whittaker"
937:
176:
323:
221:
and worked on the poem every day. In 1950 an excerpt of "The Circus of the Sun" was published in
867:
852:
Claire, William. "Letter to Robert Lax." 4 April 1960. Robert Lax Papers, Columbia University.
799:
726:
701:
617:
552:
527:
403:
172:
125:
17:
669:
300:
When the poem was reviewed it generally received high praise. Denise Levertov writing for
263:
214:
168:
72:
54:
205:
In the summer of 1949 after having left the circus, Lax, along with his childhood friend
293:
292:
In the review McDonnell goes on to call the poem a "praise of creation" and sees in it
282:
247:
192:
370:
931:
251:
206:
342:
209:
went to live with artist Robert Gibney and writer/editor Nancy Flagg Gibney in
304:
called the poem "dreamlike and vivid" before drawing favorable comparisons to
268:
210:
148:
44:
109:
132:
254:
wrote that the circus was, "symbol and sacrament, cosmos and church."
507:
Spaeth, Paul (1999). "Robert Lax: An Overview of His Life and Work".
918:
Packard, William. (1999). "The Circus of the Sun by Robert Lax."
428:
Levertov, Denis (October 14, 1961). "Poets of the Given Ground".
16:
This article is about a poem. For the entertainment company, see
819:
Mizingou, Jeannine (2004). "Robert Lax: The Circus of the Sun".
126:
866:. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. p. 182.
700:. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 204–205.
670:"A Way of Seeing, a Way of Giving | Commonweal Magazine"
616:. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 152–154.
551:. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 146–147.
526:. New York: Fordham University Press. pp. 125–128.
443:
Packard, William (1986). "Interview with Robert Lax".
281:
Shortly after "The Circus of the Sun" was published,
781:
A Search for Solitude: The Journals of Thomas Merton
573:"Poet Robert Lax found what he needed in the circus"
257:
In her assessment of "The Circus of the Sun" in the
798:. New York: Fordham University Press. p. 129.
725:. New York: Fordham University Press. p. 181.
124:
116:
104:
96:
86:
78:
68:
60:
50:
40:
597:Flagg, Nancy (1977). "The Beats in the Jungle".
838:McDonnell, Thomas (1961). "A Psalm of Praise".
217:and set up in the basement of the library at
171:and the title alludes to the song written by
8:
23:
783:. San Francisco: Harper. pp. 360–361.
29:
22:
796:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
761:Uebbing, James (1995). ""Introduction"".
723:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
698:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert lax
614:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
549:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
524:Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
922:. Exeter: Stride Conversations, p. 178.
334:
774:
772:
691:
689:
402:. Open Books Publishers. p. 118.
746:Spaeth, Paul (2000). "Introduction".
423:
421:
419:
364:
362:
7:
909:New York: The Overlook Press, p. 21.
905:Spaeth, Paul. 2000. "Introduction."
887:Kennedy, R.C. (1971). "Robert Lax".
636:Spaeth, Paul. 2000. "Introduction."
821:Encyclopedia of Catholic Literature
640:New York: The Overlook Press, p. 13
259:Encyclopedia of Catholic Literature
650:Lax, Robert (1958). "The Circus".
246:improvisation "on the prologue of
14:
864:When Prophecy Still Had A Voice
750:. New York: Overlook Press: 15.
298:man's nuptial bond with being."
35:Cover of 1960 paperback edition
1:
147:" is a poem by American poet
120:50 (first edition, paperback)
266:wrote in her 1961 review in
237:between Lax and Antonucci.
969:
794:McGregor, Michael (2015).
721:McGregor, Michael (2015).
696:McGregor, Michael (2015).
674:www.commonwealmagazine.org
612:McGregor, Michael (2015).
547:McGregor, Michael (2015).
522:McGregor, Michael (2015).
15:
219:St Bonaventure University
28:
398:Ziolkowski, Jan (2018).
907:Circus Days and Nights.
862:Merton, Thomas (2000).
779:Merton, Thomas (1996).
638:Circus Days and Nights.
371:"Lax Circus Chronology"
322:, writer and editor of
920:The ABCs of Robert Lax
748:Circus Days and Nights
509:The ABCs of Robert Lax
459:"Bard of God's Circus"
445:The New York Quarterly
315:Circus Days and Nights
161:Circus Days and Nights
24:The Circus of the Sun
369:Spaeth, Paul (2006).
347:www.conversations.org
306:Gerard Manley Hopkins
231:New World Writing #13
186:Background and origin
202:Circus of the Sun."
378:Robert Lax Archives
177:Canticle of the Sun
25:
763:Love Had a Compass
324:New York Quarterly
308:. In a review for
277:Critical reception
157:Love Had a Compass
889:The Lugano Review
599:The Lugano Review
310:Stars and Stripes
248:St. John's Gospel
173:Francis of Assisi
145:Circus of the Sun
138:
137:
97:Publication place
51:Cover artist
960:
948:Christian poetry
923:
916:
910:
903:
897:
896:
884:
878:
877:
859:
853:
850:
844:
843:
835:
829:
828:
816:
810:
809:
791:
785:
784:
776:
767:
766:
758:
752:
751:
743:
737:
736:
718:
712:
711:
693:
684:
683:
681:
680:
666:
660:
659:
647:
641:
634:
628:
627:
609:
603:
602:
594:
588:
587:
585:
584:
577:The Buffalo News
569:
563:
562:
544:
538:
537:
519:
513:
512:
504:
498:
497:
495:
494:
479:
473:
472:
470:
469:
455:
449:
448:
440:
434:
433:
425:
414:
413:
395:
389:
388:
386:
384:
375:
366:
357:
356:
354:
353:
339:
128:
88:Publication date
82:Journeyman Press
33:
26:
18:Cirque du Soleil
968:
967:
963:
962:
961:
959:
958:
957:
928:
927:
926:
917:
913:
904:
900:
886:
885:
881:
874:
861:
860:
856:
851:
847:
837:
836:
832:
818:
817:
813:
806:
793:
792:
788:
778:
777:
770:
760:
759:
755:
745:
744:
740:
733:
720:
719:
715:
708:
695:
694:
687:
678:
676:
668:
667:
663:
649:
648:
644:
635:
631:
624:
611:
610:
606:
596:
595:
591:
582:
580:
571:
570:
566:
559:
546:
545:
541:
534:
521:
520:
516:
506:
505:
501:
492:
490:
481:
480:
476:
467:
465:
457:
456:
452:
442:
441:
437:
427:
426:
417:
410:
397:
396:
392:
382:
380:
373:
368:
367:
360:
351:
349:
341:
340:
336:
332:
320:William Packard
296:'s "concept of
279:
264:Denise Levertov
243:
241:Themes and tone
188:
169:canonical hours
105:Media type
89:
73:American Poetry
55:Charles Harbutt
36:
21:
12:
11:
5:
966:
964:
956:
955:
950:
945:
943:American poems
940:
930:
929:
925:
924:
911:
898:
879:
872:
854:
845:
830:
811:
804:
786:
768:
753:
738:
731:
713:
706:
685:
661:
642:
629:
622:
604:
589:
564:
557:
539:
532:
514:
499:
474:
450:
435:
415:
408:
390:
358:
333:
331:
328:
294:Gabriel Marcel
283:E. E. Cummings
278:
275:
242:
239:
199:The New Yorker
193:The New Yorker
187:
184:
136:
135:
130:
122:
121:
118:
114:
113:
106:
102:
101:
98:
94:
93:
90:
87:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
70:
66:
65:
62:
58:
57:
52:
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:
34:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
965:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
935:
933:
921:
915:
912:
908:
902:
899:
894:
890:
883:
880:
875:
873:9780813121680
869:
865:
858:
855:
849:
846:
841:
834:
831:
826:
822:
815:
812:
807:
805:9780823268016
801:
797:
790:
787:
782:
775:
773:
769:
764:
757:
754:
749:
742:
739:
734:
732:9780823268016
728:
724:
717:
714:
709:
707:9780823268016
703:
699:
692:
690:
686:
675:
671:
665:
662:
657:
653:
646:
643:
639:
633:
630:
625:
623:9780823268016
619:
615:
608:
605:
600:
593:
590:
578:
574:
568:
565:
560:
558:9780823268016
554:
550:
543:
540:
535:
533:9780823268016
529:
525:
518:
515:
510:
503:
500:
488:
484:
478:
475:
464:
460:
454:
451:
446:
439:
436:
431:
424:
422:
420:
416:
411:
409:9781783745395
405:
401:
394:
391:
379:
372:
365:
363:
359:
348:
344:
338:
335:
329:
327:
325:
321:
316:
311:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
289:
284:
276:
274:
271:
270:
265:
260:
255:
253:
252:Thomas Merton
249:
240:
238:
234:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
203:
200:
196:
194:
185:
183:
180:
178:
174:
170:
164:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
143:
134:
131:
129:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
100:United States
99:
95:
91:
85:
81:
77:
74:
71:
67:
63:
59:
56:
53:
49:
46:
43:
39:
32:
27:
19:
953:Circus books
919:
914:
906:
901:
892:
888:
882:
863:
857:
848:
839:
833:
824:
820:
814:
795:
789:
780:
762:
756:
747:
741:
722:
716:
697:
677:. Retrieved
673:
664:
655:
651:
645:
637:
632:
613:
607:
598:
592:
581:. Retrieved
579:. 2017-09-14
576:
567:
548:
542:
523:
517:
508:
502:
491:. Retrieved
489:. 2014-06-16
486:
477:
466:. Retrieved
462:
453:
444:
438:
429:
399:
393:
381:. Retrieved
377:
350:. Retrieved
346:
337:
314:
309:
301:
297:
286:
280:
267:
258:
256:
244:
235:
230:
226:
222:
207:Ad Reinhardt
204:
198:
191:
189:
181:
165:
160:
159:(1997), and
156:
152:
144:
141:
139:
652:New Writing
487:Numéro Cinq
938:1959 poems
932:Categories
840:Commonweal
827:: 412–421.
679:2019-10-24
583:2019-10-24
511:: 117–131.
493:2019-10-18
468:2019-10-24
432:: 251–253.
430:The Nation
383:18 October
352:2019-10-24
330:References
302:The Nation
288:Commonweal
269:The Nation
211:Henley Cay
149:Robert Lax
45:Robert Lax
765:: xiv–xv.
658:: 92–101.
233:in 1958.
227:New Story
223:New Story
215:Olean, NY
133:801297711
110:Paperback
79:Publisher
163:(2000).
155:(1987),
153:33 Poems
61:Language
108:Print (
64:English
870:
802:
729:
704:
620:
555:
530:
463:Plough
406:
41:Author
374:(PDF)
117:Pages
69:Genre
868:ISBN
800:ISBN
727:ISBN
702:ISBN
618:ISBN
553:ISBN
528:ISBN
404:ISBN
385:2019
127:OCLC
92:1959
175:, "
142:The
934::
893:16
891:.
823:.
771:^
688:^
672:.
656:13
654:.
575:.
485:.
461:.
418:^
376:.
361:^
345:.
895:.
876:.
842:.
825:2
808:.
735:.
710:.
682:.
626:.
601:.
586:.
561:.
536:.
496:.
471:.
447:.
412:.
387:.
355:.
290:.
195:.
140:"
112:)
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
