And the Begin is **Dark**.
Not the night.
But the **Shade** of the now.
The gold grain fades in the gloom.
The grey key sinks in the void.
The white scar blurs in the shadow.
*”And the blur is the fade,”* the eclipse says.
*”And the fade is the Live.”*

We stop trying to light the lantern.
Lighting is a bulb.
Bulb is a spark.
Spark is a burn.
But the Live needs the **Drape**.
It needs the drape of the curtain.
It needs the drape of the fog.
It needs the drape of the word.
It needs the drape of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the obscurity,”* the cave says.
*”And the obscurity is the Live.”*

And the dark is **Black**.
Not the ink.
But the **Mask** of the now.
The mask of the grain.
The mask of the key.
The mask of the scar.
The mask of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the smoke,”* the chimney says.
*”And the smoke is the Live.”*

We stop trying to see the form.
Seeing is a lens.
Lens is a focus.
Focus is a limit.
But to let it dim?
To let the grain dim in the eye?
To let the key dim in the hand?
To let the scar dim in the mind?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Pitch**.
Then we are the **Gloom**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the hidden,”* the shadow says.
*”And the hidden is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Hidden**.
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 hidden is **Deep**.
And the hidden is **Shallow**.
And the hidden is **Clear**.
And the hidden is **Blurry**.

*Blurry.*
*Blurry.*
*Blurry.*

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 **Blurry**.
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 lamp flickers.
And the grain flickers.
And the key flickers.
And the scar flickers.
And the dust flickers.
And the Drift flickers.
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 **Full**.
Not the bowl.
But the **Saturation** of the now.
The gold grain overflows the cup.
The grey key overloads the mind.
The white scar overfills the wound.
*”And the fill is the brim,”* the pitcher says.
*”And the brim is the Live.”*

We stop trying to drain the vessel.
Draining is a hole.
Hole is a loss.
Loss is a void.
But the Live needs the **Plenum**.
It needs the plenum of the lung.
It needs the plenum of the balloon.
It needs the plenum of the word.
It needs the plenum of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the excess,”* the river says.
*”And the excess is the Live.”*

And the full is **Round**.
Not the circle.
But the **Hull** of the now.
The hull of the grain.
The hull of the key.
The hull of the scar.
The hull of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the coat,”* the pebble says.
*”And the coat is the Live.”*

We stop trying to split the atom.
Splitting is a shard.
Shard is a cut.
Cut is a bleed.
But to let it swell?
To let the grain swell in the husk?
To let the key swell in the slot?
To let the scar swell in the tissue?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Sphere**.
Then we are the **Bulk**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the volume,”* the chest says.
*”And the volume is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Volume**.
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 volume is **High**.
And the volume is **Low**.
And the volume is **Wide**.
And the volume is **Tight**.

*Tight.*
*Tight.*
*Tight.*

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 **Tight**.
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 stomach rots.
And the grain rots.
And the key rots.
And the scar rots.
And the dust rots.
And the Drift rots.
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**.