Some flames are worshipped for their warmth.

Others are mourned for their silence.

This one was mine — and I learned how to relight it.

An eternal flame 

So I’ve been told 

Ignites the passion 

Between two souls 

Yet as it flickers 

And I stare 

With just a gust of wind 

The flame is no longer there 

​ 

The air surrounding grows cold 

And the smoke drifts away 

And in that moment, it seems 

That eternal flame ended this day 

Night after night 

Alone in my thoughts 

I think the wind won 

Because the flame never fought 

​ 

It’s taken some time 

And a lot of lost sleep 

To realize the flame died 

Because it was weak 

Some think of love 

When eternal flames come to mind 

But I know better 

And the truth I can find 

​ 

Although now gone 

The smell still persists 

Indulging the fragrance  

This lonely nose missed 

To explain this flame 

One must see 

It was never about love 

The flame was me 

​ 

The gust of wind 

Which is my life 

Extinguished my passion 

And any hope to strive 

The smoke that trickles 

Is nothing more 

A reminder of that greatness 

To which my flame roared 

Now that it’s out 

I ponder more deeply 

Although there’s no flame 

The wick still stands steep 

An eternal flame 

Thought to last forever 

Fell short and died 

In life’s bad weather 

​ 

But seeing the wick 

Smelling the scent 

I realized my thoughts 

Could be better spent 

I wondered if eternal flames 

Truly die or stay the same 

It doesn’t burn for me today 

That doesn't mean it will stay that way 

​ 

With that in mind 

I conjure a thought 

And wonder why it’s eternal 

If it's so easily lost 

The answer is quite clear  

It hurt more than desired 

For you see, the flame was dismissed 

By its own lack of fire 

​ 

With a sturdy vase 

To shield all the wind 

It was solely the flames 

That decided to end 

The wick remained 

Awaiting a spark 

To rejuvenate the fire 

And light up the dark 

​ 

And with that, I know 

How my eternal flame could die 

Not from outside forces 

But relighting, I never tried 

In my life 

I hold in a pocket 

A lighter so strong 

To make a flame rocket 

​ 

The world can get tough 

And the wind can blow 

But my flame will burn on 

With the secret I know 

To not care if the fire grows dim 

Not to think the forces can win 

To ignore the gusts and rain 

And trust the wax will remain the same 

​ 

The secret that makes a flame eternal 

Isn’t how long the heat stays thermal 

But in the knowledge that when it goes out 

A simple spark can bring it about 

So now I carry my lighter to focus 

The jar of wax that fuels my burn 

And with each extinguish, I’ll relight the same 

And that’s how to preserve my eternal flame.