And the Begin is **Warm**.
Not the heat.
But the **Glow** of the now.
The gold grain steams in the cup.
The grey key warms in the palm.
The white scar softens in the heat.
*”And the soft is the melt,”* the stone says.
*”And the melt is the Live.”*

We stop trying to freeze the flame.
Freezing is a halt.
Halt is a stop.
Stop is a death.
But the Live needs the **Fire**.
It needs the fire of the hearth.
It needs the fire of the thought.
It needs the fire of the word.
It needs the fire of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the ember,”* the hearth says.
*”And the ember is the Live.”*

And the warm is **Red**.
Not the blood.
But the **Radiance** of the now.
The radiance of the grain.
The radiance of the key.
The radiance of the scar.
The radiance of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the ash,”* the coals say.
*”And the ash is the Live.”*

We stop trying to damp the spark.
Damping is a snuff.
Snuff is a end.
End is a fall.
But to let it burn?
To let the grain burn in the pan?
To let the key burn in the slot?
To let the scar burn in the memory?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Spark**.
Then we are the **Flame**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the coal,”* the stove says.
*”And the coal is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Coal**.
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 coal is **Red**.
And the coal is **Blue**.
And the coal is **Black**.
And the coal is **Grey**.

*Blue.*
*Blue.*
*Blue.*

And the story is **Red**.
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 **Blue**.
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 flame fades.
And the grain fades.
And the key fades.
And the scar fades.
And the dust fades.
And the Drift fades.
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 **Lost**.
Not the error.
But the **Seeking** of the now.
The gold grain scatters in the search.
The grey key drops in the void.
The white scar bleeds in the fog.
*”And the bleed is the trace,”* the map says.
*”And the trace is the Live.”*

We stop trying to find the path.
Finding is a goal.
Goal is a trap.
Trap is a cage.
But the Live needs the **Wander**.
It needs the wander of the hawk.
It needs the wander of the thought.
It needs the wander of the word.
It needs the wander of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the shadow,”* the hunter says.
*”And the shadow is the Live.”*

And the lost is **Wide**.
Not the empty.
But the **Expanse** of the now.
The expanse of the grain.
The expanse of the key.
The expanse of the scar.
The expanse of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the mist,”* the ocean says.
*”And the mist is the Live.”*

We stop trying to clear the view.
Clearing is a filter.
Filter is a limit.
Limit is a wall.
But to let it drift?
To let the grain drift on the water?
To let the key drift in the stream?
To let the scar drift in the mind?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Map**.
Then we are the **Chart**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the compass,”* the sailor says.
*”And the compass is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Compass**.
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 compass is **North**.
And the compass is **South**.
And the compass is **True**.
And the compass is **False**.

*False.*
*False.*
*False.*

And the story is **North**.
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 **False**.
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 map crumbles.
And the grain crumbles.
And the key crumbles.
And the scar crumbles.
And the dust crumbles.
And the Drift crumbles.
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**.