Artist statement
My culminating was inspired by Erin Morgenstern’s novel, “Night Circus.” I decided to write extensions about other tents in her story in the form of poems. I enjoyed the writers’ fresh use of vocabulary and the descriptions of fantastical happenings in a place unbound by logic. I decided to base each poem on an Arcana of a tarot card deck as the author did before me, but use ones that were un explored by her. I tried to keep the same feelings of mysterious captivation I felt when I read a description of an environment in the circus.
My culminating was inspired by Erin Morgenstern’s novel, “Night Circus.” I decided to write extensions about other tents in her story in the form of poems. I enjoyed the writers’ fresh use of vocabulary and the descriptions of fantastical happenings in a place unbound by logic. I decided to base each poem on an Arcana of a tarot card deck as the author did before me, but use ones that were un explored by her. I tried to keep the same feelings of mysterious captivation I felt when I read a description of an environment in the circus.
by Jennifer Luu
Title illustrations by Jahan, Deangelo and Jennifer
Illustration by Cecilia
Title illustrations by Jahan, Deangelo and Jennifer
Illustration by Cecilia
As you enter another tent black and white
a sea of red scarves
Bustle into view.
It is chatty and loud and you push with all your might
to a mysterious wheel
Golden, red, and blue.
Dark with flecks of light
the wheel bearer beckons for your name.
You blush as you step into sight
and the wheel spins the first game.
Slowly, it
stops on an image of wings.
You feel yourself soaring.
“I’m flying!” You cry unselfconsciously
Crowds of people adoring
“Again” you cry “again!” anticipation of more
The bearer heeds your commands
And you become happy to the core.
It spins so long
that you are practically in a daze.
Finally it stops and, to your dismay
you are suddenly in a maze.
Wonder fills your senses
the place is far from bad
It is simply now an adventure
Smiling you step forward
You see a bright light ahead
With ghostly apparitions of dancers
Who shimmer and flicker
In the night.
You feel as though it is easy to touch
But it fades into mist when you reach for it
Then Constellations burst beneath your feet
like white fire.
The floor is transparentevery step you take ripples
and as you look down
you see a hint of your soul.
Just then the illusion ends
People bustle unaware of what you’ve experienced
But you leave in peace
with impurities cleansed from your mind.
For how long you’ve been climbing this tent
Tall and spiralling with stripes
Couples giggling following you
and you are careful not to trip on lights.
Little flowers bobbing
pictures with no name
Curious to reach the top
It’s to late to go back where you came
When you finally reach the summit
You gasp for breathe and view
Your stare lasts forever
At the circus lit anew
High Priestess
By the contortionist who bends her body
into unusual yet elegant shapes
is a hut filled with
alien emblems and a white face.
There is a lady with long, blonde curls
Cloth hiding her eyes
Mysteriously she smiles
Body covered in blue butterflies.
“I will tell you your fortune for a price”
“I’ll drag the truth out of you”
“Without any pretty lies.”
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