will you teach a...

(will you teach a
wretch to live
straighter than a needle)

ask
    her
        ask
            when
                (ask and
                ask
                and ask
again and)ask a
brittle little
person fiddling
in
the
rain

(did you kiss
a girl with nipples
like pink thimbles)

ask
    him
        ask
            who
               (ask and
               ask
               and ask
ago and)ask a
simple
crazy
thing
singing
in the snow

- e¹. e. cummings