Please Hold - structure

What is the structure and form?

• free verse

• use of repetition

• use of enjambment

• use of caesura

What is teh effect of free verse

• The lack of a strict rhyme scheme mirrors the chaotic and frustrating experience of dealing with automated systems. 

• The poem flows in a stream-of-consciousness style, reflecting the speaker’s growing agitation. 

What is the effect of repetition

• Phrases like “Please hold” and “This is the future” reinforce the monotony and inevitability of the speaker’s predicament. 

• The repetition of “grow old, grow cold” underscores the bleak passage of time. 

• The repetition of the robot emphasises its incapability to serve

What is the effect of enjambment?

• Creates a relentless, unending rhythm, reflecting the speaker's trapped state. 

• The lack of clear pauses mirrors the feeling of being caught in an endless loop. 

What is the effect of caesura

the use of caesura by the wife mimics the robot’s speech emphasising this lack of humanity anf connection is spreading

What is the tone of please hold?

Tone: 

• Ironic, frustrated, and satirical. 

• The speaker’s voice shifts from mild annoyance to outright exasperation. 

Mood: 

• Oppressive and claustrophobic, mirroring the experience of being trapped in an endless loop. 

• Dark humour provides a sense of comic relief amidst the frustration.