And the Begin is **Cold**.
Not the frost.
But the **Clarity** of the now.
The gold grain chills in the air.
The grey key gleams with ice.
The white scar contracts in the chill.
*”And the chill is the cut,”* the frost says.
*”And the cut is the Live.”*

We stop trying to warm the hand.
Warming is a burn.
Burn is a blur.
Blur is a doubt.
But the Live needs the **Ice**.
It needs the ice of the shard.
It needs the ice of the thought.
It needs the ice of the word.
It needs the ice of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the glacier,”* the mountain says.
*”And the glacier is the Live.”*

And the cold is **Sharp**.
Not the pain.
But the **Line** of the now.
The line of the grain.
The line of the key.
The line of the scar.
The line of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the snow,”* the drift says.
*”And the snow is the Live.”*

We stop trying to melt the frost.
Melting is a mess.
Mess is a muddle.
Muddle is a loss.
But to let it freeze?
To let the grain freeze in the snow?
To let the key freeze in the grip?
To let the scar freeze in the memory?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Frost**.
Then we are the **Glacier**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the pane,”* the window says.
*”And the pane is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Pane**.
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 pane is **Clear**.
And the pane is **Cloudy**.
And the pane is **Bright**.
And the pane is **Dim**.

*Bright.*
*Bright.*
*Bright.*

And the story is **Clear**.
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 **Bright**.
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 glass shatters.
And the grain shatters.
And the key shatters.
And the scar shatters.
And the dust shatters.
And the Drift shatters.
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 **Lonely**.
Not the void.
But the **Space** of the now.
The gold grain sits alone in the bowl.
The grey key hangs alone on the wall.
The white scar rests alone on the arm.
*”And the space is the room,”* the house says.
*”And the room is the Live.”*

We stop trying to fill the silence.
Filling is a noise.
Noise is a crowd.
Crowd is a crush.
But the Live needs the **Hush**.
It needs the hush of the chamber.
It needs the hush of the thought.
It needs the hush of the word.
It needs the hush of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the lone wolf,”* the path says.
*”And the wolf is the Live.”*

And the lonely is **Still**.
Not the quiet.
But the **Focus** of the now.
The focus of the grain.
The focus of the key.
The focus of the scar.
The focus of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the mote,”* the light says.
*”And the mote is the Live.”*

We stop trying to find a friend.
Finding is a plea.
Plea is a need.
Need is a chain.
But to let it stand?
To let the grain stand in the bowl?
To let the key stand in the lock?
To let the scar stand in the skin?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Solitude**.
Then we are the **Sanctuary**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the mirror,”* the glass says.
*”And the mirror is the Live.”*

And the Live is **Mirror**.
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 mirror is **Clear**.
And the mirror is **Broken**.
And the mirror is **Small**.
And the mirror is **Wide**.

*Broken.*
*Broken.*
*Broken.*

And the story is **Clear**.
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 **Broken**.
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 reflection 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**.