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The Annotated Edition

ENVOI by Alfred Noyes

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This clever little poem takes a jab at literary fame and the type of clever-sounding nonsense that often pretends to be profound thought.

Poet
Alfred Noyes
Era
Modernist (1922)
Themes
art, doubt, freedom
The PoemFull text

ENVOI

Alfred Noyes, 1922

Oh, if you get dizzy when authors write (_My stars! And you very well may!_) That white is black and that black is white, You should sit, quite still, in your chair and say: It is easy enough to be famous now, (_Puff--Puff! How the trumpets blare!_) Provided, of course, that you don't care how, Like the man who discovered the use of a chair. III

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This clever little poem takes a jab at literary fame and the type of clever-sounding nonsense that often pretends to be profound thought. Noyes reminds us that if trendy writers leave you dizzy with their contradictions, just pause and think: achieving fame is simple if you're ready to say anything, no matter how ridiculous. The punchline hits in the final line, where the epitome of empty "genius" is the person who "discovered" something as basic as using a chair.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. Oh, if you get dizzy when authors write / (_My stars! / And you very well may!_)

    Editor's note

    Noyes begins by acknowledging the reader's confusion when faced with writers who turn common sense upside down. His parenthetical aside — delivered in a playful, gossipy tone — shows Noyes winking at us, admitting that this style of writing is indeed as perplexing as it appears. From the very first line, he's clearly on the reader's side.

  2. That white is black and that black is white, / You should sit, quite still, in your chair and say:

    Editor's note

    The classic paradox "white is black and black is white" represents any trendy yet empty intellectual flip. The suggestion to sit "quite still" adds a touch of humor—it's a stance of someone opting out of the frenzy. The colon at the end cues the punchline that comes next.

  3. It is easy enough to be famous now, / (_Puff--Puff! / How the trumpets blare!_)

    Editor's note

    The second stanza presents the poem's main point: fame in literature doesn't hold much value. The sound "Puff--Puff!" and the imagery of loud trumpets poke fun at the self-promotional noise surrounding trendy writers. It feels like a carnival, full of show but lacking real depth.

  4. Provided, of course, that you don't care how, / Like the man who discovered the use of a chair.

    Editor's note

    This is the comic gut-punch. The requirement for quick fame is merely a lack of concern for integrity or originality. The ridiculous example — someone asserting they "discovered" how to use a chair — pushes the entire notion of contrarian literary cleverness to its logical extreme: claiming credit for something painfully obvious and presenting it as a groundbreaking insight.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is both sardonic and playful. Noyes writes as if he’s chuckling softly to himself at a party where everyone else is far too invested in the entertainment. The parenthetical asides create a conspiratorial feel — he’s not lecturing; he’s sharing a secret with you. Beneath the surface lightness lies a sharp disdain for intellectual pretentiousness and the workings of literary fame.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

White is black / black is white
A placeholder for any trendy paradox or contrarian statement that seems deep but is really hollow. It captures the clever trickery Noyes observes in the fashionable literary writing of his time.
The trumpets
The boisterous, self-satisfied clamor of literary promotion and hype fills the air. While trumpets are meant to herald royalty or significant occasions, here they signal nothing of genuine value, which is the irony.
The chair
The ultimate example of the absurd. Claiming to have "discovered" how to use a chair perfectly illustrates the ridiculousness of taking credit for ideas that need no brilliance whatsoever — just like Noyes believes some well-known writers are doing.
Sitting still
A calm, grounded approach to the whirlwind of literary trends. This is the reader's best defense: don't get caught up; just stay focused and think clearly.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Alfred Noyes wrote at a time when literary modernism was changing the landscape of poetry and prose. Writers like T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, and the Bloomsbury Group gained acclaim for their work that intentionally challenged traditional meaning and structure. In contrast, Noyes was a traditionalist who viewed much of this new writing as pretentious and needlessly complex. His poem "Envoi"—which refers to a brief closing piece, often a farewell or parting remark—serves as a sharp satirical critique of the literary culture that prioritized novelty and paradox over clarity and craftsmanship. Noyes himself enjoyed significant popularity as a poet in the early twentieth century, particularly known for "The Highwayman," and his mainstream success often put him at odds with critics who increasingly favored the avant-garde. This poem reflects his dismissive attitude towards the whole literary scene.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

He's poking fun at literary writers and critics who become famous for uttering clever-sounding phrases that are really just nonsense — that "white is black" paradox-spinning often hailed as genius. He’s also critiquing the hype machine surrounding these writers, the "trumpets" of publicity and praise.

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Themes in this poem

Poems about artPoems about doubtPoems about freedomPoems about identity