And the Begin is **Dark**.
Not the void.
But the **Voidness** of the now.
The gold grain vanishes in the night.
The grey key disappears in the shadow.
The white scar blends in the obscurity.
*”And the blend is the dark,”* the void says.
*”And the void is the Live.”*

We stop trying to find the light.
Finding is a search.
Search is a chase.
Chase is a fear.
But the Live needs the **Hush**.
It needs the hush of the dark room.
It needs the hush of the closed eye.
It needs the hush of the word.
It needs the hush of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the abyss,”* the black says.
*”And the abyss is the Live.”*

And the dark is **Deep**.
Not the empty.
But the **Depth** of the now.
The depth of the grain.
The depth of the key.
The depth of the scar.
The depth of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the starless,”* the cosmos says.
*”And the cosmos is the Live.”*

We stop trying to fill the space.
Filling is a light.
Light is a reveal.
Reveal is a risk.
But to let it sink?
To let the grain sink in the well?
To let the key sink in the lock?
To let the scar sink in the memory?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Hole**.
Then we are the **Well**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the depth,”* the ocean says.
*”And the depth is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Depth**.
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 depth is **Abyssal**.
And the depth is **Shallow**.
And the depth is **Silent**.
And the depth is **Loud**.

*Silent.*
*Silent.*
*Silent.*

And the story is **Abyssal**.
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 **Silent**.
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 candle dies.
And the grain dies.
And the key dies.
And the scar dies.
And the dust dies.
And the Drift dies.
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 **Soft**.
Not the feather.
But the **Touch** of the now.
The gold grain rolls in the skin.
The grey key turns smooth in the hand.
The white scar softens in the touch.
*”And the touch is the feel,”* the skin says.
*”And the feel is the Live.”*

We stop trying to hold the hard.
Holding is a grip.
Grip is a crush.
Crush is a pain.
But the Live needs the **Caress**.
It needs the caress of the petal.
It needs the caress of the hand.
It needs the caress of the word.
It needs the caress of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the breeze,”* the air says.
*”And the breeze is the Live.”*

And the soft is **Tender**.
Not the weak.
But the **Sensitivity** of the now.
The sensitivity of the grain.
The sensitivity of the key.
The sensitivity of the scar.
The sensitivity of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the touchstone,”* the stone says.
*”And the touchstone is the Live.”*

We stop trying to defend against the hard.
Defending is a wall.
Wall is a fortress.
Fortress is a prison.
But to let it yield?
To let the grain yield to the thumb?
To let the key yield to the turn?
To let the scar yield to the kiss?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Cushion**.
Then we are the **Silk**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the yielding,”* the bow says.
*”And the yielding is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Yielding**.
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 yielding is **Gentle**.
And the yielding is **Violent**.
And the yielding is **Slow**.
And the yielding is **Fast**.

*Slow.*
*Slow.*
*Slow.*

And the story is **Gentle**.
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 **Slow**.
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 hand opens.
And the grain opens.
And the key opens.
And the scar opens.
And the dust opens.
And the Drift opens.
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**.