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    Telephone Conversation Wole Soyinka

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    cale.jrd

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    Telephone Conversation Wole Soyinka

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    cale.jrd
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    Telephone_Conversation_Wole_Soyinka

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    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    5 views1 page

    Telephone Conversation Wole Soyinka

    Uploaded by

    cale.jrd

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 1

    Annotate the poem every 4-5 lines.

    Telephone Conversation
    Wole Soyinka

    The price seemed reasonable, location


    Indifferent. The landlady swore she lived
    Off premises. Nothing remained
    But self-confession. “Madam,” I warned,
    5 “I hate a wasted journey—I am African.”
    Silence. Silenced transmission of
    Pressurized good-breeding. Voice, when it came,
    Lipstick coated, long gold-rolled
    Cigarette-holder pipped. Caught I was, foully.
    10 “HOW DARK?” . . . I had not misheard . . . “ARE YOU LIGHT
    OR VERY DARK?” Button B. Button A. Stench
    Of rancid breath of public hide-and-speak.
    Red booth. Red pillar-box. Red double-tiered
    Omnibus squelching tar. It was real! Shamed
    15 By ill-mannered silence, surrender
    Pushed dumbfoundment to beg simplification.
    Considerate she was, varying the emphasis—
    “ARE YOU DARK? OR VERY LIGHT?” Revelation came.
    “You mean—like plain or milk chocolate?”
    20 Her assent was clinical, crushing in its light
    Impersonality. Rapidly, wavelength adjusted,
    I chose. “West African sepia”—and as an afterthought,
    “Down in my passport.” Silence for spectroscopic
    Flight of fancy, till truthfulness clanged her accent
    25 Hard on the mouthpiece. “WHAT’S THAT?” conceding,
    “DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT IS.” “Like brunette.”
    “THAT’S DARK, ISN’T IT?” “Not altogether.
    Facially, I am brunette, but madam, you should see
    The rest of me. Palm of my hand, soles of my feet
    30 Are a peroxide blonde. Friction, caused—
    Foolishly, madam—by sitting down, has turned
    My bottom raven black—One moment madam!”—sensing
    Her receiver rearing on the thunderclap
    About my ears—“Madam,” I pleaded, “wouldn’t you rather
    35 See for yourself?”

    What theme is reinforced by the poem’s irony (among other elements)?

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