〈Interpreting “Zoom!” by Simon Armitage〉

∕ Chen Ching-yang (from Taiwan)

 

Simon Armitage (1963–) is one of the most representative poets of contemporary Britain and currently serves as the UK Poet Laureate (2019– ). Born in West Yorkshire, England, he grew up within the cultural environment of northern British industrial towns—a background that has profoundly shaped the linguistic register and social observation of his poetry.

 

Armitage’s work is widely known for its colloquial language and strongly narrative structures. He excels at weaving everyday scenes and ordinary human experiences together with large-scale concerns such as morality, civilization, and power. His poems often display a cool, incisive irony: beneath an apparently light or conversational tone lies a sustained engagement with ethical dilemmas and existential reflection.

 

In terms of poetics, Armitage is regarded as a key figure in contemporary British narrative poetry, positioned between traditional lyric poetry and modern narrative verse. His poems balance accessibility with intellectual density. Rather than pursuing obscure symbolism, he relies on the logical expansion of imagery, hyperbole, and anti-climactic endings, allowing language itself to accumulate conceptual and philosophical weight.

 

Beyond poetry, Armitage is also active in drama, translation (notably Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), prose writing, and public cultural initiatives. He has long been committed to returning poetry to the public sphere through readings, commissioned works, and commemorative poems. His role as Poet Laureate has made him a crucial bridge between artistic practice and public culture in contemporary British poetry.

 

Overall, Simon Armitage’s body of work exemplifies a central current in contemporary British poetry—one that emphasizes rational clarity, narrative momentum, and humanistic concern. He stands as one of the most institutionally prominent and enduringly influential poets in the English-speaking world today.

〈Zoom!〉

             By [Simon Armitage]
(https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/simon-armitage)

 

   It begins as a house, an end terrace

in this case

   but it will not stop there. Soon it is

an avenue

   which cambers arrogantly past the Mechanics' Institute,

turns left

   at the main road without even looking

and quickly it is

   a town with all four major clearing banks,

a daily paper

   and a football team pushing for promotion.

   On it goes, oblivious of the Planning Acts,

the green belts,

   and before we know it it is out of our hands:

city, nation,

   hemisphere, universe, hammering out in all directions

until suddenly,

   mercifully, it is drawn aside through the eye

of a black hole

   and bulleted into a neighbouring galaxy, emerging

smaller and smoother

   than a billiard ball but weighing more than Saturn.

   People stop me in the street, badger me

in the check-out queue

   and ask "What is this, this that is so small

and so very smooth

   but whose mass is greater than the ringed planet?"

It's just words

   I assure them. But they will not have it.
II. A Rhetorical–Narratological Reading of “Zoom!”

(1) A “Narrative Image Poem”

Armitage’s poem is not a lyrical outburst, but a process of narrative progression.
Its basic structure is remarkably clear:

Object → City → World → Universe → Black Hole → Language

This is a continuously expanding chain of images—a zooming out—that ultimately reverses into a sudden collapse, crystallizing in a calm yet ironic final statement.
Such a structure exemplifies what, in modern poetry rhetoric, may be called the narrative proliferation of imagery.

(2) Core Rhetorical Strategy I: Hyperbole as Narrative Engine

From a rhetorical perspective, the poem’s momentum derives almost entirely from hyperbole:

• House → Avenue → Town
• Town → City → Nation → Hemisphere → Universe
• Universe → Black hole → Galaxy

This is not realism, but logical hyperbole, in which scale itself becomes the protagonist of the poem.

In terms of modern poetic aesthetics, this constitutes conceptual hyperbole—not emotional excess, but rational amplification.

(3) The Image System: An Allegorical Chain of Urban Civilization

Notably, Armitage’s key images are strikingly mundane:

• The four major clearing banks
• A daily newspaper
• A football team pushing for promotion

This is not a romantic city, but an institutional city.

These images direct the poem toward a central philosophical proposition:
the expansion of human civilization functions as an automated linguistic act.

When the city “turns left at the main road without even looking,” it becomes a runaway narrative subject, operating beyond human control.

(4) A Narratological Pivot: The Narrator’s Powerlessness

A crucial narrative turning point appears in the line:

before we know it it is out of our hands

Narratologically, this signals:

• the narrator’s loss of agency
• the moment when the story begins to generate itself

This motif closely parallels Rachel Cusk’s concept of the decentered narrative subject in contemporary fiction.

(5) The Black Hole Image: From Hyperbole to Philosophical Closure

Here, the black hole is not a scientific concept, but a limit image.

When expansion can proceed no further, imagery collapses inward.

• Smaller than a billiard ball
• Heavier than Saturn

This paradox precisely describes the condition of poetic language itself:
minimal in volume, maximal in density, immense in weight.

(6) Ultimate Irony: The Weight of Language

The closing line—

It’s just words.

—functions as an anti-climactic resolution and exemplifies a distinctly British mode of rational irony.

Yet the following line immediately overturns it:

But they will not have it.

Language, the poem insists, is never merely language.

From the perspective of modern poetic rhetoric, this represents the completion of ironic symbolism:

Language equals

• City
• History
• Civilization
• Even the weight of the universe itself

III. Concluding Assessment

In a single sentence, “Zoom!” may be defined as:

A rhetorically constructed poem governed by narrative logic, driven by hyperbole, and brought to philosophical weight through irony.

Chen Ching-Yang (Pen name: Chen Chü-Fei), legal name Chen Chao-Sung

 

Born in 1963, I wrote my first free-verse poem in 1976. I hold a Master’s degree from the Graduate Institute of Taiwanese Literature, National Taipei University of Education. I write poetry, fiction, and film/television screenplays, as well as critiques of modern poetry and prose fiction. I am a poet, novelist, playwright, and literary critic, with an extensive body of work.

 

(1)

In 1999, I entered the cultural and creative industry and began publishing serialized novels in newspaper literary supplements.

In 2010, I co-founded “Cinematographer Film & Cultural Creative Studio” with like-minded partners, and I currently serve as the studio’s Creative Director.

 

(2)

In 2018, I founded the Meridian Modern Poetry Journal, which publishes works by poets from Taiwan and abroad, and introduces Western literary theories such as Surrealism and New Criticism.

 

(3)

My major creative works include:

Long biographical novel: Watercolor: The Life of Hatta Yoichi (script version published)

Historical novels: Springtime at Luku (script version published), Anping Rhapsody, Fireflies in Flight: The Nanzhuang Anti-Japanese Incident

Classical-style historical martial arts novel: The Bronze Rose

Dozens of youth inspirational novels

Fantasy and adventure novels: The Whale-Riding Boy, The Heaven’s Inn, Dragon Doctor on the Deserted Island

In total, I have completed over sixty medium-length and full-length novels, all of which have been adapted into television and film scripts. I am currently seeking investors and producers (film studios) interested in developing these works for production.

(4)

Published poetry collections include:

Sunday’s Defense, Island Taiwan, Taking You Back to My Distant Castle, Let You Fall Out of Love Once More, Ballad of Wind and Cloud.

(5)

Published academic and professional works include:

The Aesthetics of Rhetoric in Modern Poetry: Formal Design

The Aesthetics of Rhetoric in Modern Poetry: Expressive Techniques

Theoretical Studies on Modern Poetry Composition

Theory and Criticism of Modern Poetry

Dream Factory of Modern People: Practical Guide to Film and TV Scriptwriting

Novel Structure, Narrative, Rhetoric, and Psychological Analysis: International Works and Theoretical Studies

Scholarly Analysis of International Fantasy Classics

Email: 54088rabbit@gmail.com

解讀英國當代桂冠詩人Simon Armitage 詩作〈Zoom!〉
∕陳清揚(來自台灣)
Simon Armitage（1963－）是當代英國最具代表性的詩人之一，現任英國桂冠詩人（Poet Laureate，2019– ）。他出生於英格蘭西約克郡，成長背景深植於英國北方工業城鎮文化，這也成為其詩歌中鮮明的語言基調與社會觀察來源。

 

Armitage 的詩作以口語化語言、敘事性強烈的結構聞名，擅長將日常場景、庶民經驗與道德、文明、權力等宏大議題結合。他的作品常呈現一種冷靜而機智的反諷，在看似輕鬆的敘述中隱含倫理困境與存在思考。

 

在詩學風格上，他被視為英國當代「敘事型新詩」的重要代表，介於傳統抒情詩與現代敘事詩之間，兼具可讀性與思想密度。其詩歌不追求晦澀象徵，而是透過意象的邏輯推衍、誇飾與反高潮式結尾，使語言本身承載重量。

 

除詩作外，Armitage 亦活躍於戲劇、翻譯（如《高文爵士與綠騎士》）、散文與公共文化活動，並長期致力於將詩帶回公共空間（朗誦、委託詩、紀念詩）。他的桂冠詩人角色，使其成為當代英國詩歌在「藝術性」與「公共性」之間的重要橋樑。

 

整體而言，Simon Armitage 的創作代表了當代英國詩歌中理性、敘事與人文關懷並重的主流方向，也是英語世界中最具制度地位與持續影響力的詩人之一。

〈Zoom!〉

             By [Simon Armitage]
(https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/simon-armitage)

 

   It begins as a house, an end terrace

in this case

   but it will not stop there. Soon it is

an avenue

   which cambers arrogantly past the Mechanics' Institute,

turns left

   at the main road without even looking

and quickly it is

   a town with all four major clearing banks,

a daily paper

   and a football team pushing for promotion.

   On it goes, oblivious of the Planning Acts,

the green belts,

   and before we know it it is out of our hands:

city, nation,

   hemisphere, universe, hammering out in all directions

until suddenly,

   mercifully, it is drawn aside through the eye

of a black hole

   and bulleted into a neighbouring galaxy, emerging

smaller and smoother

   than a billiard ball but weighing more than Saturn.

   People stop me in the street, badger me

in the check-out queue

   and ask "What is this, this that is so small

and so very smooth

   but whose mass is greater than the ringed planet?"

It's just words

   I assure them. But they will not have it.

〈放大！〉

── Simon Armitage

 

它起初是一棟房子，一間連棟的端戶，

在這個例子裡

但它不會停在那裡。很快地，它成了一條大道，

傾斜而傲慢地掠過技工學院，

在主幹道前

連看都不看就左轉，

轉瞬之間

它已是一座城鎮，

擁有四大清算銀行、

一份日報，

以及一支正力拼升級的足球隊。

 

它繼續擴張，

對都市計畫法、

綠帶限制

渾然不覺，

等我們意識到時，它已脫離掌控：

城市、國家、

半球、宇宙，

向四面八方猛力敲擊、擴散——

 

直到忽然，

仁慈地，

它被拉開，

穿過黑洞之眼，

像子彈一樣

射入鄰近的星系，

重新出現時

比撞球還小、還光滑，

卻比土星還要沉重。

 

人們在街上攔住我，

在結帳隊伍裡纏著我，

問我：

「這是什麼？

這個如此細小、

如此光滑，

卻比那顆有光環的行星還要沉重的東西？」

 

我向他們保證：

這只不過是詞語。

但他們不肯相信。

 

二、以「新詩修辭美學／敘事學」賞析〈Zoom!〉

（一）這是一首「敘事型意象詩」

Armitage 這首詩不是抒情的爆發，而是敘事的推演。

它的基本結構非常清楚：

物 → 城市 → 世界 → 宇宙 → 黑洞 → 語言

 

這是一條不斷放大的意象鏈（zoom out），最後卻反向坍縮為一句冷靜而諷刺的結論。

這種結構，正是你在新詩修辭學中會稱為：「意象的敘事性增殖」

 

（二）核心修辭一：誇飾（Hyperbole）作為敘事引擎

 

從修辭學來看，這首詩的動力幾乎完全來自「誇飾」：

房子 → 大道 → 城鎮

城鎮 → 城市 → 國家 → 半球 → 宇宙

宇宙 → 黑洞 → 銀河

這不是寫實，而是邏輯式的誇飾，

讓「尺度」本身成為詩的主角。

 

在新詩美學上，這屬於：概念性誇飾（conceptual hyperbole），不是情緒過度，而是理性放大。

 

（三）意象系統：城市文明的隱喻鏈

 

注意他選用的關鍵意象非常「世俗」：

 

四大清算銀行

日報

足球隊升級

這不是浪漫城市，而是制度城市。

 

這些意象讓詩在哲學上指向一個核心命題：人類文明的擴張，是一種自動化的語言行為

城市「不看紅綠燈就左轉」，它本身就是一個失控的敘事主體。

 

（四）敘事學重點：敘事者的「無能為力」

詩中有一個極重要的敘事轉折：

before we know it it is out of our hands

這一句在敘事學上等同於：

敘事者失去主導權

故事開始自行生長

這與 Rachel Cusk 的「去敘事主體」小說其實是同一個母題。

 

（五）黑洞意象：從誇飾到哲學收束

黑洞在此不是科學概念，而是：極限意象（limit image）

當意象無法再擴張，只能坍縮。

 

小到像撞球

重到超過土星

這正是詩語言的狀態：體積小、密度高、重量巨大。

（六）終極反諷：語言的重量

結尾一句：

It's just words.

這是一個反高潮式的收束，也是英國詩歌最典型的理性反諷。

但下一句立刻推翻它：

But they will not have it.

——語言從來不只是語言。

👉 從新詩修辭美學看，這是：

反諷象徵的完成式

語言＝

城市

歷史

文明

甚至宇宙的重量

 

三、總評（以你熟悉的詩學語言說）

用一句話來定位〈Zoom!〉：

這是一首以敘事邏輯寫成的修辭詩，用誇飾推動意象，以反諷完成哲學重量。

本篇評論作者
陳清揚(陳去非)，本名陳朝松

1963年出生，1976年寫出第一首新詩，國立台北教育大學台灣文學所碩士，寫新詩、小說、電影電視劇本，還有新詩和散文小說評論，是個新詩人、小說家、劇作家和文學評論家，著作等身相當豐富。

(1)1999年投入文創產業，開始在報紙副刊發表連載小說，2010年與志同道合朋友共組「掌鏡人影視文創工作室」，目前為該工作室創意總監。

(2)2018年創立〈子午線現代詩刊〉，詩刊刊登海內外詩人作品，介紹歐美文學理論，如「超現實主義」、「新批評」等學派。

(3)主要文創產品有長篇傳記小說〈水色:八田與一傳〉(已出版劇本版)，長篇歷史小說〈鹿窟的春天〉(已出版劇本版)、〈安平追想曲〉、〈螢火蟲飛呀飛︰南庄抗日事件〉，文言文章回體歷史武俠小說〈青銅玫瑰〉和數十部青春勵志小說，及少年奇幻小說〈騎鯨少年〉、長篇奇幻小說〈天堂旅館〉和冒險小說〈荒島醫龍〉，已完成60多部中長篇小說。這些小說均已改編為電視連續劇本和電影劇本。目前仍在多方尋求投資金主與合作拍攝的製片人(製片廠)。

(4)出版新詩集〈星期天的辯護〉、〈島嶼台灣〉、〈帶妳回我遠方的城堡〉、〈再給妳失戀一次〉、〈風雲情歌〉。

(5)已出版專業著作

〈新詩修辭美學:形式設計美學〉、〈新詩修辭美學:表意技巧美學〉、〈新詩創作學理〉、〈新詩批評賞析學理〉、〈現代人的夢工廠:影視劇本創作實務〉、〈小說結構、敘事、修辭與心理分析－國際小說作品介紹與學理分析〉、〈國際奇幻小說名著學理分析〉

Email:54088rabbit@gmail.com