Ask Murderers

"May I ax you something," he said. 
"Only if you don't lop off my head!"

Please don't 
ax me about myring. 
A severed finger is a bloody thing. 

Please don't 
ax me about myshoes
Running without feet is sure to lose. 

Please don't 
ax me about mybelt,
Do I look good with my guts spilled out?

Please don't 
ax me about myeyes,
I don't want my vision circumcised. 

Please don't 
ax me about myhair,
Without my scalp, I'm going nowhere. 

Please don't 
ax me about myheart,
It's not bleeding and doesn't intend to start. 

Ax all you want, I always say. 
Just give me time, to get out of the way. 
 

Murdering the Ask


Copyright 2003 © Ronald W. Hull

4/28/03

Apologies to my many Afro-American friends.
Pronouncing "Ask" as "Ax" is common among
dialects in rural Black American communities.