Something a little epic for your day.

Blooms of fire in the night
Echo back the wan daylight
Cinder sparks and angry coal
Kindling now vengeance toll.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch the days glowing bright
Wrath that builds on hollow gains
Leaves a shell: all that remains

Marching feet to a trumpet sound
Marks the foe now run to ground.
Fear now flares in every heart,
But wise the souls who know its art.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch the days glowing bright
Wrath that builds on hollow gains
Leaves a shell: all that remains

Foes yet come in dire cloud
Veiled in mist and pyre’s shroud
Watch your fellows one by one
Fall there gasping, no fight begun.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch the dusk, how dim the light
Wrath that builds on hollow gains
Leaves a shell: all that remains

Yet stalwart heart holds the line
A simple spear and shield he finds.
No bearer yet can be seen
So he kneels and wipes them clean.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch alone, wrong or right.
Wrath that empties what it can’t chain
Leaves a shell: all that remains

In clouds of darkness the foe descends
Yet clouds of light their shadow rends
Then come the Fair in battle long
And show the empty wavering throng.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch the days glowing bright
Wrath would burn what Hope now gains
Would shell or spirit yet remain?

The fires burn among the foes
Named to life in shining rows
A spearman still stands his ground
A faithful man on a proving ground.

Pass the fire in the night
Watch the end of ill-cut might.
Wrath consumes the bitter plains
Yet of stalwart heart what remains?

When vict’ry comes, though dearly bought
The Fair pause at the spearman’s plot.
There they raised a standing stone
So faithful hearts ne’er fight alone.

Pass the fire in the night
Sing the song glowing bright.
Wrath is gone; the hearth remains
Though dearly won, how bright the blaze!

All That Remains copyright © Heather Strickler 2026 all rights reserved