by Paul Fleischman (b. 1952)
The Moth’s Serenade
Language: English
Porch Porch
light, light,
hear my plight! hear my plight!
I drink your light
like nectar like nectar
Dream of you by day
by day by day
Gaze in your eyes
all night all night
Bright paradise!
I am I am
your seeking
circling seeking
sighing circling
lovesick sighing
knight
You are You are
my soul's
my soul's desire
desire my prize
my prize my eyes'
delight
Porch light! Porch light!
My shining star!
My compass needle's North!
"Keep back," they say. "Keep back," they say
I can't!
"Don't touch," they say "Don't touch," they say
I must!
Porch light! Porch light!
Let's clasp Let's kiss
Let's kiss Let's clasp
Let's marry for a trice! Let's marry for a trice!
Porch light! Porch light!
Let's meet Let's merge
Let's merge Let's meet
Let's live for love!
For light! For light!
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Fleischman (b. 1952), "The Moth’s Serenade", appears in Joyful Noise; Poems For Two Voices, John Newbery Medal, first published 1988 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Andrea Ramsey (b. 1977), "The Moth’s Serenade", copyright © 2016 [ ssa chorus and piano ], Santa Barbara Music Publishing
Publisher: Santa Barbara Music Publishing [external link] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-09-01
Line count: 38
Word count: 140