--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's a poem about moths. But it's also a…" description: "\"“It's a poem about moths. But it's also a poem about psychopaths. I get it copied. And stick it in a frame. And now it glowers redoubtably above my des..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg" --- # It's a poem about moths. But it's also a poem about… ![“It's a poem about moths. But it's also a poem about psychopaths. I get it copied. And stick it in a frame. And now it glowers redoubtably above my desk:an entomological keepsake of the horizons of existence. And the brutal, star-crossed wisdom of those who seek them out. i was talking to a moth…” quote by Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg) > ““It's a poem about moths. But it's also a poem about psychopaths. I get it copied. And stick it in a frame. And now it glowers redoubtably above my desk:an entomological keepsake of the horizons of existence. And the brutal, star-crossed wisdom of those who seek them out. i was talking to a moth the other evening he was trying to break into an electric bulb and fry himself on the wires why do you fellows pull this stunt i asked him because it is the conventional thing for moths or why if that had been an uncovered candle instead of an electric light bulb you would now be a small unsightly cinder have you no sense plenty of it he answered but at times we get tired of using it we get bored with routine and crave beauty and excitement fire is beautiful and we know that if we get too close it will kill us but what does that matter it is better to be happy for a moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while so we wad all our life up into one little roll and then we shoot the roll that is what life is for it is better to be part of beauty our attitude toward life is come easy go easy we are like human beings used to be before they became too civilized to enjoy themselves and before i could argue him out of his philosophy he went and immolated himself on a patent cigar lighter i do not agree with him myself i would rather have half the happiness and twice the longevity but at the same time i wish there was something i wanted as badly as he wanted to fry himself”” [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker uses a moth’s attraction to light as a metaphor for human desire for intense, fleeting beauty despite its danger, contrasting short‑term joy with long‑term safety. **In simple terms:** People often choose risky excitement over safe routine. Key Takeaway Embrace joy but weigh risks. Themes risk beauty existence human nature desire Mood reflective introspective philosophical Type aphorical motivational cautionary When to use this quote - artistic inspiration - personal reflection - risk assessment - life philosophy - creative writing Key Concepts hedonism existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to seek intense experiences? - How can you balance joy with longevity? A Different Perspective The metaphor may romanticize self‑destructive behavior, ignoring healthier ways to seek meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Burn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burn/) [Electric light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electric-light/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Light bulb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-bulb/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Moth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moth/) [Moths Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moths-poem-2170196/) [Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem/) [Poem Moths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-moths-2170197/) [Poem Psychopaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-psychopaths-2170198/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Psychopath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychopath/) [Thing Moths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-moths-2170199/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Moth, that wasn't very nice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buckley/moth-that-wasn-t-very-nice/) [Michael Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buckley/) > [“The spiraling flights of moths appear haphazard only because of the mechanisms of olfactory tracking are so different from our own. 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But it may also come in handy at the airport.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/zeroing-in-on-weakness-may-well-be-part-of-a-serial-killer-s-toolkit/) [Kevin Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-dutton/) > [“Ruthlessness, charm, focus, mental toughness, fearlessness, mindfulness (living in the moment), and action. 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And the brutal, star-crossed wisdom of those who seek them out. i was talking to a moth the other evening he was trying to break into an electric bulb and fry himself on the wires why do you fellows pull this stunt i asked him because it is the conventional thing for moths or why if that had been an uncovered candle instead of an electric light bulb you would now be a small unsightly cinder have you no sense plenty of it he answered but at times we get tired of using it we get bored with routine and crave beauty and excitement fire is beautiful and we know that if we get too close it will kill us but what does that matter it is better to be happy for a moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while so we wad all our life up into one little roll and then we shoot the roll that is what life is for it is better to be part of beauty our attitude toward life is come easy go easy we are like human beings used to be before they became too civilized to enjoy themselves and before i could argue him out of his philosophy he went and immolated himself on a patent cigar lighter i do not agree with him myself i would rather have half the happiness and twice the longevity but at the same time i wish there was something i wanted as badly as he wanted to fry himself”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin Dutton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a-poem-about-psychopaths-i-get/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beauty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-dutton/it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a-poem-about-psychopaths-i-get/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/kevin-dutton-14043_beauty_it-s-a-poem-about-moths-but-it-s-also-a_1007965.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's a poem about moths. 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