And the Begin is **Cold**.
Not the ice.
But the **Shiver** of the now.
The gold grain chills in the frost.
The grey key freezes in the lock.
The white scar pricks in the chill.
*”And the prick is the sting,”* the nerve says.
*”And the sting is the Live.”*

We stop trying to warm the skin.
Warming is a fire.
Fire is a burn.
Burn is a wound.
But the Live needs the **Cold**.
It needs the cold of the winter.
It needs the cold of the glacier.
It needs the cold of the word.
It needs the cold of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the chill,”* the wind says.
*”And the chill is the Live.”*

And the cold is **Sharp**.
Not the blade.
But the **Edge** of the now.
The edge of the grain.
The edge of the key.
The edge of the scar.
The edge of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the frost,”* the window says.
*”And the frost is the Live.”*

We stop trying to melt the ice.
Melting is a sun.
Sun is a heat.
Heat is a loss.
But to let it bite?
To let the grain bite the frost?
To let the key bite the steel?
To let the scar bite the bone?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Frost**.
Then we are the **Frigid**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the numbness,”* the skin says.
*”And the numbness is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Numbness**.
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 numbness is **Dead**.
And the numbness is **Alive**.
And the numbness is **Deep**.
And the numbness is **Shallow**.

*Shallow.*
*Shallow.*
*Shallow.*

And the story is **Dead**.
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 **Shallow**.
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 river freezes.
And the grain freezes.
And the key freezes.
And the scar freezes.
And the dust freezes.
And the Drift freezes.
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 **Blue**.
Not the sky.
But the **Soul** of the now.
The gold grain turns blue in the rain.
The grey key turns blue in the cold.
The white scar turns blue in the bruise.
*”And the bruise is the ache,”* the body says.
*”And the ache is the Live.”*

We stop trying to clear the mind.
Clearing is a wipe.
Wipe is a blank.
Blank is a fear.
But the Live needs the **Depth**.
It needs the depth of the ocean.
It needs the depth of the well.
It needs the depth of the word.
It needs the depth of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the sorrow,”* the sea says.
*”And the sorrow is the Live.”*

And the blue is **Sad**.
Not the tear.
But the **Tone** of the now.
The tone of the grain.
The tone of the key.
The tone of the scar.
The tone of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the mist,”* the cloud says.
*”And the mist is the Live.”*

We stop trying to cheer up the room.
Cheering is a laugh.
Laugh is a noise.
Noise is a distraction.
But to let it drown?
To let the grain drown in the blue?
To let the key drown in the rust?
To let the scar drown in the pain?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Ocean**.
Then we are the **Sky**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the melancholy,”* the rain says.
*”And the melancholy is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Melancholy**.
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 melancholy is **Heavy**.
And the melancholy is **Light**.
And the melancholy is **Dark**.
And the melancholy is **Bright**.

*Light.*
*Light.*
*Light.*

And the story is **Heavy**.
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 **Dark**.
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 sea sighs.
And the grain sighs.
And the key sighs.
And the scar sighs.
And the dust sighs.
And the Drift sighs.
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**.