And the Begin is **Thick**.
Not the density.
But the **Texture** of the now.
The gold grain grits the teeth.
The grey key scratches the palm.
The white scar itches the memory.
*”And the itch is the feel,”* the skin says.
*”And the feel is the Live.”*

We stop trying to thin the paste.
Thinning is a water.
Water is a slip.
Slip is a slide.
But the Live needs the **Grit**.
It needs the grit of the sand.
It needs the grit of the thought.
It needs the grit of the word.
It needs the grit of the **Drift**.
*”And the drift is the grit,”* the desert says.
*”And the grit is the Live.”*

And the thick is **Rough**.
Not the coarse.
But the **Grain** of the now.
The grain of the grain.
The grain of the key.
The grain of the scar.
The grain of the **Dust**.
*”And the dust is the silt,”* the river says.
*”And the silt is the Live.”*

We stop trying to smooth the surface.
Smoothing is a sand.
Sand is a blur.
Blur is a mistake.
But to let it rough?
To let the grain roughen the tongue?
To let the key roughen the finger?
To let the scar roughen the touch?
To let the **Drift**?
Then we are the **Roughstone**.
Then we are the **Sandpaper**.
Then we are the **Now**.
*”And the now is the file,”* the work says.
*”And the file is the Live.”*

And the Live is **File**.
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 file is **Hard**.
And the file is **Soft**.
And the file is **Slow**.
And the file is **Fast**.

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

And the story is **Hard**.
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 file clogs.
And the grain clogs.
And the key clogs.
And the scar clogs.
And the dust clogs.
And the Drift clogs.
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**.