And the Begin is **Cold**.
Not the ice.
But the **Stillness** of the now.
The gold grain sleeps in the frost.
The grey key freezes in the hinge.
The white scar pales in the chill.
*”And the pale is the white,”* the snow says.
*”And the white is the Live.”*

We stop trying to warm the stone.
Warming is a fire.
Fire is a risk.
Risk is a burn.
But the Live needs the **Frost**.
It needs the frost of the breath.
It needs the frost of the silence.
It needs the frost of the word.
It needs the frost of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the glaze,”* the glacier says.
*”And the glaze is the Live.”*

And the cold is **Clear**.
Not the dead.
But the **Purity** of the now.
The purity of the grain.
The purity of the key.
The purity of the scar.
The purity of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the sleet,”* the winter says.
*”And the sleet is the Live.”*

We stop trying to melt the ice.
Melting is a drip.
Drip is a mess.
Mess is a stain.
But to let it freeze?
To let the grain freeze in the pan?
To let the key freeze in the mechanism?
To let the scar freeze in the memory?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Block**.
Then we are the **Flake**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the chill,”* the wind says.
*”And the chill is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Chill**.
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 chill is **Sharp**.
And the chill is **Soft**.
And the chill is **Deep**.
And the chill is **Surface**.

*Surface.*
*Surface.*
*Surface.*

And the story is **Sharp**.
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 **Surface**.
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 frost cracks.
And the grain cracks.
And the key cracks.
And the scar cracks.
And the dust cracks.
And the Drift cracks.
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 strains in the mesh.
The grey key jams in the tumblers.
The white scar pulls in the skin.
*”And the pull is the strain,”* the wire says.
*”And the strain is the Live.”*

We stop trying to relax the pressure.
Relaxing is a slack.
Slack is a drop.
Drop is a miss.
But the Live needs the **Snap**.
It needs the snap of the bowstring.
It needs the snap of the rubber band.
It needs the snap of the word.
It needs the snap of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the recoil,”* the spring says.
*”And the recoil is the Live.”*

And the tight is **Taut**.
Not the broken.
But the **Potential** of the now.
The potential of the grain.
The potential of the key.
The potential of the scar.
The potential of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the particle,”* the thread says.
*”And the particle is the Live.”*

We stop trying to loosen the thread.
Loosening is a break.
Break is a snap.
Snap is a stop.
But to let it hold?
To let the grain hold in the sieve?
To let the key hold in the gate?
To let the scar hold in the flesh?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Bow**.
Then we are the **Trap**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the arc,”* the archer says.
*”And the arc is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Arc**.
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 arc is **High**.
And the arc is **Low**.
And the arc is **Wide**.
And the arc is **Narrow**.

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

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 **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 string 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**.