SHE KEPT THE LIGHT ON
She had one match left and a coffee can stove
A radio hummin' from an old wardrobe
Patched up boots and a stitched up sleeve
But she made enough warmth so no one would leave
She hummed old songs in a room of steel
Had a ledger full of names and a shelf of sealed meals
The wind would howl but she'd still smile
Said we survive because we stay awhile
She kept the light on when the lines went dead
Used glowsticks and faith and a coal burned thread
When the sky fell down and the towns went blind
She lit a candle in her mind
When the water rose she marked the wall
Measured hope in inches with a bunker scrawl
Said no one disappears not while I'm here
Then boiled dandelions and blinked back a tear
She kept the light on when the wires were gone
With a hand crank torch and a half spun song
When the news turned black and the maps went white
She stayed awake and held the night
So if you're lost and the world won't show
Just follow the warmth where the campfires glow
There's a signal still hummin' a shelter sign
That says
She kept the light on
And it's still mine