And the Begin is **Thin**.
Not the skin.
But the **Membrane** of the now.
The gold grain filters through the mesh.
The grey key slips through the crack.
The white scar pales on the thin air.
*”And the thin is the veil,”* the mist says.
*”And the veil is the Live.”*

We stop trying to thicken the air.
Thickening is a wall.
Wall is a barrier.
Barrier is a silence.
But the Live needs the **Sheer**.
It needs the sheer of the curtain.
It needs the sheer of the ice.
It needs the sheer of the word.
It needs the sheer of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the transparency,”* the glass says.
*”And the transparency is the Live.”*

And the thin is **Sharp**.
Not the edge.
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 shadow,”* the light says.
*”And the shadow is the Live.”*

We stop trying to blur the focus.
Blurring is a lens.
Lens is a distortion.
Distortion is a lie.
But to let it pierce?
To let the grain pierce the membrane?
To let the key pierce the tumblers?
To let the scar pierce the skin?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Needle**.
Then we are the **Thread**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the puncture,”* the thread says.
*”And the puncture is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Puncture**.
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 puncture is **Painful**.
And the puncture is **Pleasant**.
And the puncture is **Clean**.
And the puncture is **Messy**.

*Messy.*
*Messy.*
*Messy.*

And the story is **Painful**.
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 **Messy**.
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 fabric tears.
And the grain tears.
And the key tears.
And the scar tears.
And the dust tears.
And the Drift tears.
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 **Wet**.
Not the rain.
But the **Moisture** of the now.
The gold grain sogs in the mud.
The grey key rusts in the water.
The white scar weeps in the sweat.
*”And the weep is the tear,”* the eye says.
*”And the tear is the Live.”*

We stop trying to dry the cloth.
Drying is a sun.
Sun is a heat.
Heat is a burn.
But the Live needs the **Damp**.
It needs the damp of the moss.
It needs the damp of the cave.
It needs the damp of the word.
It needs the damp of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the humidity,”* the cloud says.
*”And the humidity is the Live.”*

And the wet is **Cool**.
Not the ice.
But the **Chill** of the now.
The chill of the grain.
The chill of the key.
The chill of the scar.
The chill of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the slime,”* the wall says.
*”And the slime is the Live.”*

We stop trying to absorb the water.
Absorbing is a sponge.
Sponge is a full.
Full is a limit.
But to let it drip?
To let the grain drip on the stone?
To let the key drip on the hand?
To let the scar drip on the time?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Pond**.
Then we are the **Stream**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the current,”* the fish says.
*”And the current is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Current**.
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 current is **Fast**.
And the current is **Slow**.
And the current is **Wide**.
And the current is **Narrow**.

*Narrow.*
*Narrow.*
*Narrow.*

And the story is **Fast**.
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 **Narrow**.
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 swamp floods.
And the grain floods.
And the key floods.
And the scar floods.
And the dust floods.
And the Drift floods.
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 **Loud**.
Not the sound.
But the **Echo** of the now.
The gold grain clinks in the jar.
The grey key clacks in the box.
The white scar hisses in the flesh.
*”And the hiss is the tone,”* the throat says.
*”And the tone is the Live.”*

We stop trying to mute the noise.
Muting is a plug.
Plug is a silence.
Silence is a void.
But the Live needs the **Noise**.
It needs the noise of the crowd.
It needs the noise of the engine.
It needs the noise of the word.
It needs the noise of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the clamor,”* the crowd says.
*”And the clamor is the Live.”*

And the loud is **Bright**.
Not the light.
But the **Volume** of the now.
The volume of the grain.
The volume of the key.
The volume of the scar.
The volume of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the grit,”* the boot says.
*”And the grit is the Live.”*

We stop trying to quiet the room.
Quieting is a hand.
Hand is a stop.
Stop is a pause.
But to let it roar?
To let the grain roar in the wind?
To let the key roar in the lock?
To let the scar roar in the mind?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Cymbal**.
Then we are the **Drum**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the beat,”* the bass says.
*”And the beat is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Beat**.
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 beat is **Rhythmic**.
And the beat is **Chaotic**.
And the beat is **Fast**.
And the beat is **Slow**.

*Chaotic.*
*Chaotic.*
*Chaotic.*

And the story is **Rhythmic**.
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 **Chaotic**.
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 gong rings.
And the grain rings.
And the key rings.
And the scar rings.
And the dust rings.
And the Drift rings.
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**.