"Telephone Conversation" is a 1963 poem by the Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka that satires racism. The poem describes a phone call between a landlady and the speaker, who is black, about renting an apartment. The landlady is pleasant until she learns that the speaker is "African," at which point she demands to know how "light" or "dark" the speaker's skin is. In response, the speaker cleverly mocks the landlady’s ignorance and prejudice, demonstrating that characterizing people by their skin color diminishes their humanity.

• Read the full text of “Telephone Conversation”

• “Telephone Conversation” Summary

• “Telephone Conversation” Themes

  • 

    Racism and the Complexity of Identity

    Where this theme appears in the poem:

    • Lines 1-35

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “Telephone Conversation”

  • Lines 1-5

    The price seemed ...
    ... journey--I am African."

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 6-9

    Silence. Silenced transmission ...
    ... Cigarette-holder pipped.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 9-11

    Caught I was ...
    ... B, Button A.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 11-14

    Stench ...
    ... real!

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 14-18

    Shamed ...
    ... OR VERY LIGHT?"

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 18-23

    Revelation came. ...
    ... in my passport."

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 23-26

    Silence for spectroscopic ...
    ... WHAT THAT IS."

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 26-30

    "Like brunette." ...
    ... a peroxide blond.

    

    

    

    

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  • Lines 30-35

    Friction, caused-- ...
    ... See for yourself?"

    

    

    

    

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• “Telephone Conversation” Symbols

  • 

    Cigarette-holder

    Where this symbol appears in the poem:

    • Line 9: “Cigarette-holder”
  • 

    Peroxide Blond

    Where this symbol appears in the poem:

    • Line 30: “peroxide blond”
  • 

    Raven black

    Where this symbol appears in the poem:

    • Line 32: “raven black”

• “Telephone Conversation” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

  • End-Stopped Line

    

    

    

    

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    Where end-stopped line appears in the poem:

    • Line 4: “warned,”
    • Line 5: “African."”
    • Line 7: “came,”
    • Line 9: “foully.”
    • Line 12: “hide-and-speak.”
    • Line 16: “simplification.”
    • Line 17: “ emphasis--”
    • Line 18: “came.”
    • Line 19: “chocolate?"”
    • Line 21: “adjusted,”
    • Line 22: “afterthought,”
    • Line 26: “brunette."”
    • Line 27: “altogether.”
    • Line 30: “caused--”
    • Line 35: “yourself?"”

  • Enjambment

    

    

    

    

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    Where enjambment appears in the poem:

    • Lines 1-2: “location / Indifferent.”
    • Lines 2-3: “lived / Off”
    • Lines 3-4: “remained / But”
    • Lines 6-7: “of / Pressurized”
    • Lines 8-9: “gold-rolled / Cigarette-holder”
    • Lines 10-11: “LIGHT / OR”
    • Lines 11-12: “Stench / Of”
    • Lines 13-14: “tiered / Omnibus”
    • Lines 14-15: “Shamed / By”
    • Lines 15-16: “surrender / Pushed”
    • Lines 20-21: “light / Impersonality.”
    • Lines 23-24: “spectroscopic / Flight”
    • Lines 24-25: “accent / Hard”
    • Lines 25-26: “conceding / "DON'T”
    • Lines 28-29: “see / The”
    • Lines 29-30: “feet / Are”
    • Lines 31-32: “turned / My”
    • Lines 32-33: “sensing / Her”
    • Lines 33-34: “thunderclap / About”
    • Lines 34-35: “rather / See”

  • Caesura

    

    

    

    

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    Where caesura appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “reasonable, location”
    • Line 2: “Indifferent. The”
    • Line 3: “premises. Nothing”
    • Line 4: “self-confession. "Madam," I”
    • Line 5: “journey--I”
    • Line 6: “Silence. Silenced”
    • Line 7: “good-breeding. Voice, when”
    • Line 8: “coated, long”
    • Line 9: “pipped. Caught”
    • Line 10: “DARK?" . . . I had not misheard . . . "ARE”
    • Line 11: “DARK?" Button B, Button A. Stench”
    • Line 13: “booth. Red,” “box. Red”
    • Line 14: “tar. It,” “real! Shamed”
    • Line 15: “silence, surrender”
    • Line 17: “was, varying”
    • Line 18: “DARK? OR,” “LIGHT?" Revelation”
    • Line 19: “mean--like”
    • Line 20: “clinical, crushing”
    • Line 21: “Impersonality. Rapidly, wave-length”
    • Line 22: “chose. "West,” “sepia"--and”
    • Line 23: “passport." Silence”
    • Line 24: “fancy, till”
    • Line 25: “mouthpiece. "WHAT'S THAT?" conceding”
    • Line 26: “IS." "Like”
    • Line 27: “DARK, ISN'T IT?" "Not”
    • Line 28: “Facially, I,” “brunette, but, madam, you”
    • Line 29: “me. Palm,” “hand, soles”
    • Line 30: “blond. Friction, caused”
    • Line 31: “Foolishly, madam--by,” “down, has”
    • Line 32: “black--One moment, madam!"--sensing”
    • Line 34: “ears--"Madam," I pleaded, "wouldn't”

  • Alliteration

    

    

    

    

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    Where alliteration appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “l”
    • Line 2: “l,” “s,” “l”
    • Line 4: “w”
    • Line 5: “w”
    • Line 6: “S,” “S”
    • Line 7: “c”
    • Line 8: “L,” “c,” “l”
    • Line 11: “B,” “B,” “B”
    • Line 12: “r,” “b”
    • Line 13: “R,” “b,” “R,” “b,” “R”
    • Line 15: “s,” “s”
    • Line 16: “s”
    • Line 20: “c,” “l,” “c,” “l”
    • Line 21: “l,” “a”
    • Line 22: “A,” “a,” “a,” “a”
    • Line 23: “S,” “s”
    • Line 24: “F,” “f,” “t,” “t”
    • Line 28: “b,” “b”
    • Line 29: “m,” “m,” “m”
    • Line 30: “F”
    • Line 31: “F”
    • Line 32: “M,” “b,” “b,” “m,” “m”
    • Line 33: “r,” “r”

  • Assonance

    

    

    

    

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    Where assonance appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “ee,” “e”
    • Line 2: “I,” “i”
    • Line 5: “a,” “a,” “a,” “a”
    • Line 6: “i,” “e,” “i,” “e,” “io,” “o”
    • Line 7: “i”
    • Line 8: “i,” “i,” “oa,” “o,” “o”
    • Line 9: “i,” “o,” “i,” “ou”
    • Line 10: “O”
    • Line 11: “u,” “o,” “u,” “o”
    • Line 13: “e,” “e,” “e”
    • Line 14: “e”
    • Line 15: “e,” “e,” “e,” “e”
    • Line 16: “e,” “e,” “i,” “i,” “i”
    • Line 18: “a,” “a”
    • Line 19: “ai”
    • Line 20: “i,” “i,” “i,” “i”
    • Line 21: “I,” “i,” “y,” “i,” “y,” “a,” “u”
    • Line 22: “A,” “a,” “a,” “a,” “a,” “a”
    • Line 23: “y,” “i,” “o,” “o”
    • Line 24: “i”
    • Line 25: “ie,” “e”
    • Line 26: “O,” “O”
    • Line 27: “I,” “I”
    • Line 28: “a,” “a,” “y,” “a,” “a,” “a,” “ee”
    • Line 29: “e,” “ee”
    • Line 30: “o,” “o,” “au”
    • Line 31: “a,” “a,” “a”
    • Line 32: “a,” “a”
    • Line 33: “ei,” “ea”
    • Line 34: “ea,” “ea”
    • Line 35: “ee”

  • Consonance

    

    

    

    

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    Where consonance appears in the poem:

    • Line 1: “n,” “l,” “l,” “n”
    • Line 2: “d,” “n,” “l,” “d,” “l,” “d,” “s,” “l,” “d”
    • Line 3: “m,” “N,” “r,” “m,” “n”
    • Line 4: “f,” “f,” “d,” “w,” “d”
    • Line 5: “t,” “w,” “t”
    • Line 6: “S,” “l,” “nc,” “S,” “l,” “nc,” “s,” “ss”
    • Line 7: “r,” “ss,” “r,” “d,” “d,” “r,” “c,” “c”
    • Line 8: “L,” “ck,” “c,” “d,” “l,” “g,” “ld,” “ll,” “d”
    • Line 9: “C,” “g,” “r,” “tt,” “ld,” “r,” “p,” “pp,” “d,” “C,” “t,” “ou,” “ll”
    • Line 10: “H,” “W,” “D,” “R,” “h,” “h,” “r,” “d,” “R”
    • Line 11: “R,” “R,” “B,” “tt,” “n,” “B,” “B,” “tt,” “n,” “S,” “t,” “n”
    • Line 12: “r,” “nc,” “b,” “r,” “p,” “b,” “c,” “s,” “p,” “k”
    • Line 13: “R,” “b,” “R,” “ll,” “r,” “b,” “R,” “d,” “b,” “l,” “r,” “d”
    • Line 14: “b,” “s,” “s,” “r,” “r”
    • Line 15: “ll,” “nn,” “r,” “s,” “l,” “c,” “s,” “rr,” “n,” “d,” “r”
    • Line 16: “d,” “d,” “m,” “f,” “d,” “d,” “s,” “m,” “f”
    • Line 18: “R,” “R,” “R,” “R,” “m”
    • Line 19: “m,” “l,” “k,” “l,” “m,” “k,” “c,” “l”
    • Line 20: “ss,” “nt,” “c,” “l,” “n,” “c,” “l,” “c,” “l”
    • Line 21: “p,” “r,” “l,” “R,” “p,” “d,” “l,” “l,” “d,” “d”
    • Line 22: “fr,” “s,” “f,” “r”
    • Line 23: “p,” “ss,” “p,” “rt,” “S,” “c,” “s,” “p,” “c,” “t,” “sc,” “p,” “c”
    • Line 24: “F,” “l,” “t,” “f,” “n,” “c,” “t,” “ll,” “t,” “f,” “l,” “n,” “c,” “l,” “cc,” “nt”
    • Line 25: “n,” “c,” “c,” “n,” “c,” “d”
    • Line 26: “D,” “N,” “T,” “KN,” “T,” “r,” “n,” “tt”
    • Line 27: “T,” “T,” “T,” “t,” “t”
    • Line 28: “ll,” “m,” “b,” “tt,” “b,” “t,” “m,” “d,” “m,” “ld,” “s”
    • Line 29: “s,” “t,” “m,” “P,” “l,” “m,” “m,” “s,” “l,” “s,” “m,” “t”
    • Line 30: “r,” “p,” “r,” “d,” “d,” “F,” “r”
    • Line 31: “F,” “l,” “l,” “m,” “d,” “m,” “tt,” “d,” “t,” “d”
    • Line 32: “M,” “b,” “tt,” “m,” “n,” “b,” “m,” “nt,” “m,” “d,” “m,” “s,” “n,” “s”
    • Line 33: “r,” “r,” “r,” “r,” “r,” “r”
    • Line 34: “r,” “M,” “m,” “r,” “r”
    • Line 35: “S,” “s”

  • Pun

    

    

    

    

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    Where pun appears in the poem:

    • Line 12: “hide-and-speak”

  • Parataxis

    

    

    

    

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    Where parataxis appears in the poem:

    • Lines 1-2: “The price seemed reasonable, location / Indifferent.”
    • Lines 2-3: “ The landlady swore she lived / Off premises.”
    • Line 5: “I hate a wasted journey--I am African”
    • Lines 6-9: “Silence. Silenced transmission of / Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came, / Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled / Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was foully.”
    • Lines 11-14: “Button B, Button A. Stench / Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak. / Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered / Omnibus squelching tar. ”
    • Lines 14-14: “It / was / real! ”
    • Lines 14-16: “Shamed / By ill-mannered silence, surrender / Pushed dumbfounded to beg simplification.”
    • Lines 29-32: “Palm of my hand, soles of my feet / Are a peroxide blond. Friction, caused-- / Foolishly, madam--by sitting down, has turned / My bottom raven black--”

  • Repetition

    

    

    

    

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    Where repetition appears in the poem:

    • Line 6: “Silence. Silenced”
    • Line 10: “"HOW DARK?"”
    • Lines 10-11: “"ARE YOU LIGHT / OR VERY DARK?" ”
    • Line 11: “Button B, Button A. ”
    • Line 13: “Red booth. Red pillar box. Red double-tiered”
    • Line 14: “Omnibus squelching tar. ”
    • Line 18: “"ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?"”
    • Line 26: “brunette”
    • Line 27: “"THAT'S DARK, ISN'T IT?" ”
    • Line 28: “brunette,” “madam”
    • Line 31: “madam”
    • Line 32: “madam”
    • Line 34: “Madam”

  • Metaphor

    

    

    

    

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    Where metaphor appears in the poem:

    • Lines 7-9: “V / oice, when it came, / Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled / Cigarette-holder pipped”
    • Lines 11-12: “Button B, Button A. Stench / Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.”
    • Line 21: “wave-length adjusted”
    • Line 22: “West African sepia”
    • Lines 29-30: “Palm of my hand, soles of my feet / Are a peroxide blond”
    • Line 32: “My bottom raven black”
    • Line 33: “thunderclap”

  • Simile

    

    

    

    

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    Where simile appears in the poem:

    • Line 19: “like plain or milk chocolate”
    • Line 26: “Like brunette”

• “Telephone Conversation” Vocabulary

  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.

  • Indifferent
  • Premises
  • Self-confession
  • Transmission
  • Pressurized
  • Gold-rolled Cigarette Holder
  • Pipped
  • Foully
  • Button B, Button A:
  • Hide-and-Speak
  • Pillar Box
  • Double-Tiered Omnibus
  • Squelching
  • Dumbfounded
  • Impersonality
  • Wave-length
  • Sepia
  • Spectroscopic
  • Mouthpiece
  • Peroxide Blond
  • Raven Black
  • Thunderclap
  • (Location in poem: Line 2: “Indifferent”)

• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Telephone Conversation”

  • Form

  • Meter

  • Rhyme Scheme

• “Telephone Conversation” Speaker

• “Telephone Conversation” Setting

• Literary and Historical Context of “Telephone Conversation”

• More “Telephone Conversation” Resources

  • External Resources

    • ‘There’s One Humanity or There Isn’t’: A Conversation — A conversation between scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the poet from the New York Review of Books.

    • Wole Soyinka's Biography — A biography of Wole Soyinka from the Nobel Foundation.

    • Out of Africa: A Conversation with Wole Soyinka — Alessandra Di Maio interviews Wole Soyinka.

    • Post-Colonial Literature — An introduction to post-colonial literature from Oxford Bibliographies.

    • Wole Soyinka Reads "Telephone Conversation" — Listen to poet read his poem aloud.

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