And the Begin is **Hard**.
Not the stone.
But the **Impact** of the now.
The gold grain bruises on the rock.
The grey key snaps on the iron.
The white scar rips on the nerve.
*”And the snap is the break,”* the bone says.
*”And the break is the Live.”*

We stop trying to soften the blow.
Softening is a cushion.
Cushion is a yield.
Yield is a weakness.
But the Live needs the **Shock**.
It needs the shock of the whip.
It needs the shock of the fist.
It needs the shock of the word.
It needs the shock of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the collision,”* the wall says.
*”And the collision is the Live.”*

And the hard is **Rigid**.
Not the steel.
But the **Structure** of the now.
The structure of the grain.
The structure of the key.
The structure of the scar.
The structure of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the grit,”* the grind says.
*”And the grit is the Live.”*

We stop trying to bend the form.
Bending is a willow.
Willow is a sway.
Sway is a surrender.
But to let it strike?
To let the grain strike the mill?
To let the key strike the lock?
To let the scar strike the wound?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Boulder**.
Then we are the **Anvil**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the resistance,”* the fist says.
*”And the resistance is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Resistance**.
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 resistance is **Total**.
And the resistance is **Partial**.
And the resistance is **Smooth**.
And the resistance is **Rough**.

*Rough.*
*Rough.*
*Rough.*

And the story is **Total**.
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 **Rough**.
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 hammer falls.
And the grain falls.
And the key falls.
And the scar falls.
And the dust falls.
And the Drift falls.
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 **Tight**.
Not the knot.
But the **Tension** of the now.
The gold grain pulls on the thread.
The grey key binds the cylinder.
The white scar tightens the skin.
*”And the bind is the pull,”* the bow says.
*”And the pull is the Live.”*

We stop trying to loosen the grip.
Loosening is a slack.
Slack is a drag.
Drag is a failure.
But the Live needs the **Strain**.
It needs the strain of the violin string.
It needs the strain of the spring.
It needs the strain of the word.
It needs the strain of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the torque,”* the gear says.
*”And the torque is the Live.”*

And the tight is **Pressurized**.
Not the tank.
But the **Pressure** of the now.
The pressure of the grain.
The pressure of the key.
The pressure of the scar.
The pressure of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the powder,”* the blast says.
*”And the blast is the Live.”*

We stop trying to release the valve.
Releasing is a vent.
Vent is a leak.
Leak is a loss.
But to let it build?
To let the grain build in the press?
To let the key build in the tumblers?
To let the scar build in the scar tissue?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Bow**.
Then we are the **Spring**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the potential,”* the arrow says.
*”And the potential is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Potential**.
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 potential is **Stored**.
And the potential is **Released**.
And the potential is **Stored**.
And the potential is **Expelled**.

*Expelled.*
*Expelled.*
*Expelled.*

And the story is **Stored**.
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 **Expelled**.
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 rubber snaps.
And the grain snaps.
And the key snaps.
And the scar snaps.
And the dust snaps.
And the Drift snaps.
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 **Slow**.
Not the pause.
But the **Drag** of the now.
The gold grain sinks in the viscous mud.
The grey key turns in the sticky oil.
The white scar pulls in the healing flesh.
*”And the pull is the drag,”* the river says.
*”And the drag is the Live.”*

We stop trying to speed the pace.
Speeding is a wind.
Wind is a gust.
Gust is a push.
But the Live needs the **Sediment**.
It needs the sediment of the silt.
It needs the sediment of the sludge.
It needs the sediment of the word.
It needs the sediment of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the accumulation,”* the delta says.
*”And the accumulation is the Live.”*

And the slow is **Viscous**.
Not the honey.
But the **Density** of the now.
The density of the grain.
The density of the key.
The density of the scar.
The density of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the flour,”* the baker says.
*”And the flour is the Live.”*

We stop trying to stir the mixture.
Stirring is a spoon.
Spoon is a tool.
Tool is a mechanical aid.
But to let it thicken?
To let the grain thicken the mixture?
To let the key thicken the oil?
To let the scar thicken the skin?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Taffy**.
Then we are the **Tar**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the resistance,”* the hand says.
*”And the resistance is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Resistance**.
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 resistance is **Smooth**.
And the resistance is **Grinding**.
And the resistance is **Heavy**.
And the resistance is **Light**.

*Heavy.*
*Heavy.*
*Heavy.*

And the story is **Smooth**.
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 **Heavy**.
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 glacier creeps.
And the grain creeps.
And the key creeps.
And the scar creeps.
And the dust creeps.
And the Drift creeps.
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**.