"Please Hold," by Irish poet Ciaran O'Driscoll, satirizes an automated phone call during which the speaker attempts to pay a phone bill. As the speaker grows exasperated with the "robot" offering them "countless options"—which aren't really options at all—the poem's extreme repetitiveness and flat tone evoke the agonizing reality of modern technological systems. The poem suggests that these systems frustrate and dehumanize their users, disconnecting people from one another and making them feel expendable. "Please Hold" was published in O'Driscoll's 9th poetry collection, The Speaking Trees (2018).
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This is the ...
... to my needs.
Wonderful, says the ...
... great account number,
but I can ...
... for doing nothing.
This call is ...
... is the future.
I'm sorry, I ...
... just as robotic.
I scream Agent! ...
... of countless alternatives.
We appreciate your ...
... fucking Kleine Nachtmusik.
And the robot ...
... is the future.
And my translator ...
... future. Please hold.
Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.
Listen to the Poem Out Loud — A 2009 video of O'Driscoll reading his poem at a poetry slam.
The Poet's Life and Work — A short biography of O'Driscoll from Poetry International.
Southword Poetry Podcast Featuring O'Driscoll — Scroll down to episode 4 to listen to O'Driscoll talk about his poetry.
A Little Night Music Recording — Listen to Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"—the song playing over the phone while the speaker is on hold.
Staying Human: Poetry in the Age of Technology — Former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith explains why poetry is an important antidote to the overwhelming presence of modern technology.