The Circus of the Sun

"The Circus of the Sun" is a poem by American poet Robert Lax (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: 33 Poems (1987), Love Had a Compass (1997), and Circus Days and Nights (2000).

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 canonical hours and the title alludes to the song written by Francis of Assisi, "Canticle of the Sun." 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.

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.