In memoriam (Our candle burns) (website only)

Verse 1

For all the people you’ll never know,
in all the places you’ll never go,
and for the changes you’ll never see
this date returns.
For those who loved you and won’t forget
the precious moments they don’t regret,
and for the people you longed to be,
this candle burns.

Refrain

Wherever you are tonight
we’ll fly this freedom flag for you,
we’ll keep flames burning bright
just as you hoped that we would do.
Our story goes on tonight,
we will not yield to fear or shame,
we stand in candlelight and say your name.
We say her name,
we say his name,
we say their name.

Verse 2

For all the pictures we’ve wept beside,
for all the anger we’ve kept inside,
for all our vigils for absent friends,
this date returns.
For all your joys and for all your tears,
your hopes, your dreams, and your stolen years,
our solidarity never ends,
our candle burns.

Verse 3

For all the risks that you chose to take,
for every silence you had to break
to live your truth and to speak it loud,
this date returns:
For all the joy that they could not see,
for all the courage that set you free
to be authentic and to be proud,
our candle burns.

Words and music by Ashley Jay Brockwell (him/they)
Harmony by Ruth Yorke (she/her)
Download music as a PDF – NOTE this version contains verses 1& 2 only. Verse 3 was added subsequently and is as above.

Ideas for use

Dr Ashley Jay Brockwell wrote this song specifically for use on and around Transgender Day of Remembrance, which is marked each year on 20 November.

As Ash says, the words definitely form a song, not a hymn. They have been used in worship to accompany powerful acts of remembrance, and are presented here with guitar chords, which also provide a guide for keyboard accompaniment if that is preferred.

Alternatively, the words can be read as a poem, in which case Ash recommends reading the verses first, and the refrain once at the end.

More information

Transgender Day of Remembrance is held in November to honour Rita Hester, whose murder on 28 November 1998 inspired a candlelight vigil in San Francisco in 1999. Each year since, a list of those killed during the previous 12 months is compiled and their lives recalled on this day.

To read more and access other resources, see our Transgender Remembrance page.