China

Blood and sweat mark the land from a tired brow and a calloused hand
He worked hard for everything that he owned
His legacy reduced to thirds, fragile hearts, and wasted words
A bitter reaping to the life he had sown
A conversation waiting down the hall where simpler times line the walls
The ivory paint's now yellow with age
Momma's sitting in the back room stone faced at the evening news
She'll say yes before they plead their case

Cause when the flames grow higher and higher
You stand and fight the fire
But to the point of no return
Just watch it burn

They pray he bends before he breaks as he digs for joy in the glory days
As a hollowed out version of himself
He sings the crowd a lullaby and sucks a bottle down bone dry
Then wants to pull another bourbon off the shelf
A quiet ride down a country road, a solemn night spent alone
The consequence of habits taking form
Isolated by the ones he loves, a desperate word to the man above
Tonight he'll trust the memories to keep him warm

Oh when the flames grow higher and higher
You stand and fight the fire
But to the point of no return
Just watch it burn

We claw and scratch to defend our name, hope for different but expect the same
And own our faults from countless lessons learned
We leave it all to the said and done where all is lost and nothing's won
And watch the embers smoke from bridges burned

Cause when the flames grow higher and higher
We stand and fight the fire
But to the point of no return
Just watch it burn
Just watch it burn