Torch of the West

The torch of the West First stolen, never given The light that would not stay in heaven Prometheus came down the black spine of the mountain Fire clenched in a fennel stalk A living coal against the dark The gods had meant the world to stay cold He meant otherwise Rise, flame Rise brighter Rise, flame Rise brighter Torch of the West, burning so bright We took the spark and we made it light Ships and cities and stars in the night The flame is better now We are not done Rise flame, rise brighter Humanity holds the fire We are not done From that single theft we learned to see Cook the meat and keep the night at bay The wheel, the keel, the written word The arch that holds a roof against the sky Lightning serving, voices through the air Look what we became Rise, flame Rise brighter Rise, flame Rise brighter Torch of the West, burning so bright We took the spark and we made it light Ships and cities and stars in the night The flame is better now We are not done Rise flame, rise brighter Humanity holds the fire We are not done Wooden ships that left the known shore Iron ships, then ships of fire Climbing the well of gravity Hanging above the turning world The same daring lives in every hull Cathedrals teaching stone to pray Cities that never sleep He is chained in the old stories The eagle comes, the liver grows again But the gift was already given It could not be recalled We are the proof Spectacular, unfinished, glorious and stained We look back at the mountain Say thank you Then turn and build the next ship The next light The next impossible thing Torch of the West, burning so bright We took the spark and we made it light The flame has our faces, the flame has our future It will not go out Rise flame, rise brighter The Titan can rest Humanity holds the fire And we are not done We are not done We are not done Rise, flame Rise brighter The torch of the West Never going out