‘Please hold’
This poem takes a critical view of modern life through the form of a conversation with an automated
telephone system. The speaker highlights the frustrations and difficulties in letting go of the past and
accepting a new, technologically advanced future.
The key elements of form and structure:
1. There are a lot of short, blunt sentences throughout the poem, which could show the
disconnection the speaker feels from human interaction. Even ‘someone real’ is ‘just as
robotic’.
2. The isolation of the final stanza is a moment of reflection for the speaker as he sees himself
being controlled by technology. The mundane frustration of the phone stretches itself to all
parts of his life as the speaker continues with the repetition and simplistic sentences,
perhaps suggesting this is what human interactions will be like in the future, as even his wife
takes on a robotic voice in the poem.
3. The poem is made up of two stanzas, with the first being a very long chunk of writing. This
never-ending feeling of reading the first stanza could reflect the process of a customer
helpline as it is also a long and never-ending process. This reflects the continuous cycle
experienced by the speaker, and his growing anger as the poem progresses.
4. The poem is written in free verse, which could be symbolising the chaotic and tiresome
mental state of the poet.
5. Repeated phrases throughout- showing limited options of robot and meaningless nature of
language.
Key methods used by the writer to convey their ideas:
1. Repetition is used to emphasise key ideas and make the poem feel more monotonous to a
reader. Along with simple words such as “Yes” and “robot” being repeated, notable phrases
such as “this is the future” and “Please hold” are also consistently reintroduced. This
highlights the frustrating cycle that the speaker is stuck in within this technologically
advancing world.
2. There is a tone of sadness towards how the future is progressing- particularly in the final
stanza. The connection of human touch is lost in the future and the poem ends on a dark
tone that his future is simply to ‘grow old’ and ‘grow cold’ in this technologically controlled
future. It is as if with age, you simply become colder and more disappointed with this
unappealing future.
3. The reference to the piece ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ by Mozart suggests the corporation is
almost mocking the speaker, playing a happy and upbeat piece to a frustrated and annoyed
customer (as demonstrated as the expletive ‘fucking’)- this is also an example of the speaker
being satirical and using humour. As well as this, the reference illuminates the way
technology and big corporations are changing things. ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ was once a
great musical composure, yet now it is simply known as waiting music. Represents the
devaluing of culture.
4. There is a desperate comedy about the poem, as if the speaker uses humour to displace his
deep worries and frustrations about the ever-changing nature of modern society.
This poem takes a critical view of modern life through the form of a conversation with an automated
telephone system. The speaker highlights the frustrations and difficulties in letting go of the past and
accepting a new, technologically advanced future.
The key elements of form and structure:
1. There are a lot of short, blunt sentences throughout the poem, which could show the
disconnection the speaker feels from human interaction. Even ‘someone real’ is ‘just as
robotic’.
2. The isolation of the final stanza is a moment of reflection for the speaker as he sees himself
being controlled by technology. The mundane frustration of the phone stretches itself to all
parts of his life as the speaker continues with the repetition and simplistic sentences,
perhaps suggesting this is what human interactions will be like in the future, as even his wife
takes on a robotic voice in the poem.
3. The poem is made up of two stanzas, with the first being a very long chunk of writing. This
never-ending feeling of reading the first stanza could reflect the process of a customer
helpline as it is also a long and never-ending process. This reflects the continuous cycle
experienced by the speaker, and his growing anger as the poem progresses.
4. The poem is written in free verse, which could be symbolising the chaotic and tiresome
mental state of the poet.
5. Repeated phrases throughout- showing limited options of robot and meaningless nature of
language.
Key methods used by the writer to convey their ideas:
1. Repetition is used to emphasise key ideas and make the poem feel more monotonous to a
reader. Along with simple words such as “Yes” and “robot” being repeated, notable phrases
such as “this is the future” and “Please hold” are also consistently reintroduced. This
highlights the frustrating cycle that the speaker is stuck in within this technologically
advancing world.
2. There is a tone of sadness towards how the future is progressing- particularly in the final
stanza. The connection of human touch is lost in the future and the poem ends on a dark
tone that his future is simply to ‘grow old’ and ‘grow cold’ in this technologically controlled
future. It is as if with age, you simply become colder and more disappointed with this
unappealing future.
3. The reference to the piece ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ by Mozart suggests the corporation is
almost mocking the speaker, playing a happy and upbeat piece to a frustrated and annoyed
customer (as demonstrated as the expletive ‘fucking’)- this is also an example of the speaker
being satirical and using humour. As well as this, the reference illuminates the way
technology and big corporations are changing things. ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ was once a
great musical composure, yet now it is simply known as waiting music. Represents the
devaluing of culture.
4. There is a desperate comedy about the poem, as if the speaker uses humour to displace his
deep worries and frustrations about the ever-changing nature of modern society.
