ask

Olaf Nicolai

a hot humidity blowing
shoulder skin touching shoulder skin on a subway
sticky slightly wet penetrates the senses
strangers should not be touching but they stay
humid heat brings lazy to speaking
so you just stay touching

harsh vocal rasps from a hug-deprived human
approach touch
imagine their exhale during the hug
life changes it can in that release
all you need is hug
sing all you need is hug

a searing horn marking danger
alerting of bombs bad driver migraine head hurt
infant signaling want
adults ask but mostly don’t
but why but why question but why
approach the ask with confidence you have permission