The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Armitage, Simon. “Thank You For Waiting”. Proletarian Poetry, https://proletarianpoetry.com/2017/07/13/thank-you-for-waiting-by-simon-armitage/.

Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

“Thank You For Waiting” is a contemporary free-verse poem which offers a social critique on a familiar setting. It draws from Armitage’s own experiences in 21st-century England, a country where old class divides are still more starkly drawn than in North America. The poem is told from the perspective of an airline attendant, who invites passengers to board the plane based on their financial or social standing.