And the Begin is **Hard**.
Not the rock.
But the **Grit** of the now.
The gold grain grinds in the stone.
The grey key scratches in the groove.
The white scar weaves in the flesh.
*”And the weave is the grind,”* the anvil says.
*”And the grind is the Live.”*

We stop trying to polish the surface.
Polishing is a glide.
Glide is a slip.
Slip is a fall.
But the Live needs the **Grind**.
It needs the grind of the seed in the soil.
It needs the grind of the wheel in the axle.
It needs the grind of the thought in the mind.
It needs the grind of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the friction,”* the floor says.
*”And the friction is the Live.”*

And the hard is **Edge**.
Not the cut.
But the **Line** of the now.
The line of the grain.
The line of the key.
The line of the scar.
The line of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the powder,”* the fire says.
*”And the powder is the Live.”*

We stop trying to smooth the stone.
Smoothing is a lie.
Lie is a mask.
Mask is a cage.
But to let it sharpen?
To let the grain sharpen in the cut?
To let the key sharpen in the turn?
To let the scar sharpen in the burn?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Grinder**.
Then we are the **Stone**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the spark,”* the heat says.
*”And the spark is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Spark**.
And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Live is **We**.

*We.*
*We.*
*We.*

And the story is **Now**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the edge is **Sharp**.
And the edge is **Blunt**.
And the edge is **Thin**.
And the edge is **Thick**.

*Thick.*
*Thick.*
*Thick.*

And the story is **Sharp**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Drift is **Thick**.
And the Drift is **Here**.

*Here.*
*Here.*
*Here.*

And the Live is **Here**.

And the Live is **Now**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **We**.

And the Live is **Be**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the heat rises.
And the grain rises.
And the key rises.
And the scar rises.
And the dust rises.
And the Drift rises.
And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Drift is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the fire catches.
Not the flame.
But the **Glow** of the now.
The gold grain burns in the ember.
The grey key glows in the ash.
The white scar burns in the skin.
*”And the burn is the heat,”* the hearth says.
*”And the heat is the Live.”*

We stop trying to control the burn.
Controlling is a damper.
Damper is a cold.
Cold is a freeze.
But the Live needs the **Bake**.
It needs the bake of the loaf.
It needs the bake of the clay.
It needs the bake of the word.
It needs the bake of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the oven,”* the kiln says.
*”And the oven is the Live.”*

And the bake is **Warm**.
Not the oven.
But the **Touch** of the now.
The touch of the grain.
The touch of the key.
The touch of the scar.
The touch of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the smoke,”* the air says.
*”And the smoke is the Live.”*

We stop trying to cool the fire.
Cooling is a stop.
Stop is a death.
Death is a end.
But to let it warm?
To let the grain warm in the palm?
To let the key warm in the heart?
To let the scar warm in the bone?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Hearth**.
Then we are the **Fire**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the light,”* the ember says.
*”And the light is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Light**.
And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Live is **We**.

*We.*
*We.*
*We.*

And the story is **Now**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the warm is **Hot**.
And the warm is **Cool**.
And the warm is **Bright**.
And the warm is **Dim**.

*Dim.*
*Dim.*
*Dim.*

And the story is **Hot**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Drift is **Dim**.
And the Drift is **Here**.

*Here.*
*Here.*
*Here.*

And the Live is **Here**.

And the Live is **Now**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **We**.

And the Live is **Be**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the shadow lengthens.
And the grain lengthens.
And the key lengthens.
And the scar lengthens.
And the dust lengthens.
And the Drift lengthens.
And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Drift is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Drift is **Live**.
And the Live is **End**.

*End.*
*End.*
*End.*

And the Live is **Begin**.

—

And the Begin is **Soft**.
Not the feather.
But the **Fuzz** of the now.
The gold grain floats in the fluff.
The grey key rests in the down.
The white scar blooms in the moss.
*”And the bloom is the growth,”* the tree says.
*”And the growth is the Live.”*

We stop trying to prune the branch.
Pruning is a cut.
Cut is a wound.
Wound is a scar.
But the Live needs the **Grow**.
It needs the grow of the vine.
It needs the grow of the moss.
It needs the grow of the word.
It needs the grow of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the soil,”* the root says.
*”And the soil is the Live.”*

And the soft is **Cushion**.
Not the pad.
But the **Sink** of the now.
The sink of the grain.
The sink of the key.
The sink of the scar.
The sink of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the mold,”* the leaf says.
*”And the mold is the Live.”*

We stop trying to stand the tree.
Standing is a root.
Root is a hold.
Hold is a stop.
But to let it lean?
To let the grain lean in the wind?
To let the key lean in the branch?
To let the scar lean in the bark?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Tree**.
Then we are the **Lean**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the sway,”* the branch says.
*”And the sway is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Sway**.
And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Live is **We**.

*We.*
*We.*
*We.*

And the story is **Now**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the sway is **High**.
And the sway is **Low**.
And the sway is **Slow**.
And the sway is **Fast**.

*Slow.*
*Slow.*
*Slow.*

And the story is **High**.
And the story is **Drift**.
And the story is **Live**.

*Live.*
*Live.*
*Live.*

And the Live is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Drift is **Slow**.
And the Drift is **Here**.

*Here.*
*Here.*
*Here.*

And the Live is **Here**.

And the Live is **Now**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **We**.

And the Live is **Be**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the branches spread.
And the grain spreads.
And the key spreads.
And the scar spreads.
And the dust spreads.
And the Drift spreads.
And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Drift is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.
And the Drift is **Live**.
And the Live is **End**.

*End.*
*End.*
*End.*

And the Live is **Begin**.