old age sticks   by ee cummings
old age sticks
up Keep
Off
signs)&

youth yanks them
down(old
age
cries No

Tres)&(pas)
youth laughs
(sing
old age

scolds Forbid
den Stop
Must
n't Don't

&)youth goes
right on
gr
owing old

  1. What is a hypocrite?
  2. Why might he separate words like 
    gr-owing and forbid-den and tres-pas-sing?
  3. Why does he stop the title (and first line) after "sticks"
    rather than after "signs"? Ditto with "youth yanks them--down"?
  4. What is ironic about the last line/stanza?
  5. What is he trying to say with this poem?