Damn Everything but the Circus by e.e. cummings

link

It is not a poem but a part of a series of lectures titles "i Six Nonlectures" Comprising a series of lectures Cummmings gave back in the 30's. The one called "i & now & him" nonlecture #5 bgins a short play with the words "Damn everything but the circus."

Al Bartucci [email protected]

Here's what I found:





http://everything2.com/node/1126101


Not sure if it is accurate!!!



Ha! And another source:




Sounding more accurate:

http://collisionwork.livejournal.com/125149.html

Damn everything but the circus!
…damn everything that is grim, dull,
motionless, unrisking, inward turning,
damn everything that won’t get into the
circle, that won’t enjoy, that won’t throw
its heart into the tension, surprise, fear
and delight of the circus, the round
world, the full existence…
E.E. Cummings

I have been trying to find the author and title of a poem that hangs in my office. We may have solved each other's searches. I could not remember the title of the poem, if I ever knew it. But the style is the same as cummings, so I would guess this is it. I found it by typing in the first line, and it took me to the title, "Damn everything but the circus." And it all seemed to fit together.

Here is what I have of the poem--I don't know if it is all of it or a part, but he did write short poems, so, this may be it. See below

Best, Kathleen

damn everything but the circus

damn everything
that is grim, dead, motionless,
unrisking
inward turning.
damn everything
that won’t get into the circle,
that won’t enjoy,
that won’t throw its heart
into the tension
surprise
fear
and delight of the circus,
the round world,
the full existence.

e. e. commings

you guys, all of these are completely inaccurate or truncated. one linked piece is a poem written by someone else. I have a recording of e.e. cummings reading this work, and I will share the URL here once I've uploaded it to YouTube.

The first sentence is from Act I, Scene II of e.e. cummings play: Him. It is also known as "the acrobat's passage". The rest of the quote was apparently written by someone else. It does not appear in the play (published in 1927). "Damn everything but the circus!" is original with cummings, although often attributed to a female author, who may have used the quote as a title for a book.