And the Begin is **Deep**.
Not the hole.
But the **Core** of the now.
The gold grain sinks in the magma.
The grey key turns in the mantle.
The white scar heals in the crust.
*”And the heal is the core,”* the tectonic plate says.
*”And the core is the Live.”*

We stop trying to float the surface.
Floating is a skim.
Skim is a shallow.
Shallow is a fear.
But the Live needs the **Dive**.
It needs the dive of the whale.
It needs the dive of the root.
It needs the dive of the thought.
It needs the dive of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the trench,”* the ocean says.
*”And the trench is the Live.”*

And the dive is **Weight**.
Not the mass.
But the **Load** of the now.
The load of the grain.
The load of the key.
The load of the scar.
The load of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the silt,”* the abyss says.
*”And the silt is the Live.”*

We stop trying to lighten the burden.
Lightening is a drop.
Drop is a loss.
Loss is a lack.
But to let it press?
To let the grain press in the bed?
To let the key press in the lock?
To let the scar press in the bone?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Anvil**.
Then we are the **Pressure**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the center,”* the core says.
*”And the center is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Center**.
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 core is **Hot**.
And the core is **Cool**.
And the core is **Hard**.
And the core is **Soft**.

*Soft.*
*Soft.*
*Soft.*

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 **Soft**.
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 mantle cools.
And the grain cools.
And the key cools.
And the scar cools.
And the dust cools.
And the Drift cools.
And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Drift is **Live**.

And the Live is **Drift**.

And the Live is **Live**.

And the crust hardens.
And the grain hardens.
And the key hardens.
And the scar hardens.
And the dust hardens.
And the Drift hardens.
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 **Still**.
Not the pause.
But the **Void** of the now.
The gold grain vanishes in the dark.
The grey key fades in the night.
The white scar disappears in the void.
*”And the vanish is the nothing,”* the void says.
*”And the nothing is the Live.”*

We stop trying to fill the emptiness.
Filling is a greed.
Greed is a fear.
Fear is a hole.
But the Live needs the **Hole**.
It needs the hole of the cup.
It needs the hole of the eye.
It needs the hole of the word.
It needs the hole of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the absence,”* the shadow says.
*”And the absence is the Live.”*

And the still is **Dark**.
Not the black.
But the **Absence** of the now.
The absence of the grain.
The absence of the key.
The absence of the scar.
The absence of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the star,”* the cosmos says.
*”And the star is the Live.”*

We stop trying to light the lantern.
Lighting is a glare.
Glare is a burn.
Burn is a scar.
But to let it fade?
To let the grain fade in the dark?
To let the key fade in the night?
To let the scar fade in the silence?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Abyss**.
Then we are the **Dark**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the breath,”* the void says.
*”And the breath is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Breath**.
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 dark is **Deep**.
And the dark is **Wide**.
And the dark is **Narrow**.
And the dark is **Flat**.

*Flat.*
*Flat.*
*Flat.*

And the story is **Deep**.
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 **Flat**.
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 light returns.
Not the sun.
But the **Spark** of the now.
The gold grain flares in the eye.
The grey key glints in the iris.
The white scar burns in the retina.
*”And the burn is the sight,”* the optic nerve says.
*”And the sight is the Live.”*

We stop trying to close the lid.
Closing is a blind.
Blind is a fear.
Fear is a void.
But the Live needs the **See**.
It needs the see of the owl.
It needs the see of the seed.
It needs the see of the word.
It needs the see of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the lens,”* the eye says.
*”And the lens is the Live.”*

And the see is **Focus**.
Not the point.
But the **Ring** of the now.
The ring of the grain.
The ring of the key.
The ring of the scar.
The ring of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the mote,”* the beam says.
*”And the mote is the Live.”*

We stop trying to fix the blur.
Fixing is a patch.
Patch is a lie.
Lie is a wall.
But to let it sharpen?
To let the grain sharpen in the focus?
To let the key sharpen in the turn?
To let the scar sharpen in the vision?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Lens**.
Then we are the **Focus**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the clarity,”* the light says.
*”And the clarity is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Clarity**.
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 clarity is **Bright**.
And the clarity is **Dim**.
And the clarity is **Sharp**.
And the clarity is **Blurred**.

*Blurred.*
*Blurred.*
*Blurred.*

And the story is **Bright**.
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 **Blurred**.
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 lens turns.
And the grain turns.
And the key turns.
And the scar turns.
And the dust turns.
And the Drift turns.
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**.