"Invisible War" is my first jar...a collection of some of the first fireflies I ever caught; mostly they were just sprouting their wings in that time, learning all about life, exploring the world, and frolicking about with me in fascinating places like Mongolia, where I lived until I was eight. Really I caught the first specimen in this particular jar when I was fifteen--"Song of the Open Road"--based on the Whitman poem of the same name.
Now, at 20, I'm always chasing around a few fireflies at a time, attempting to master the art of capturing the most elaborate creatures. The idea is that the better the creature, the longer it will stay alive and the brighter its light will shine. We need bright light, see, because it's dark sometimes, very dark.
I have dreams about how the world should be. Indeed we live in a place which was meant to be beautiful; though we oftentimes ruin it ourselves by default. In science there is the idea of entropy--the tendency of things toward disorder. If a vase is sitting on a little table, it's quite probable that it could fall off and shatter into a hundred pieces, if not rather unlikely that all those pieces would jump back together again and shape themselves once again into a beautiful vase--unless of course someone worked very hard to glue it all back together into something new and different.
Unfortunately the implications of this in real life are much more complicated than a single vase shattering to the ground. We see natural disasters that destroy and reshape lives; wars, rumors of wars that create tension and dissension between people groups; poverty, disease, starvation, and everything that lies between.
These are the things which burden my heart, and the things which I've always felt compelled to express through my music. If all I do in life is shine a little light into the dark spaces of the world, my time on earth will certainly not have been wasted.
So I catch firefies.
Clair de lune
Merry Ellen Kirk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you see the stars in my eyes?
A nice reflection it may be
So it seems, to me
A kiss from heaven lightly breathed
Nightly unsheathed
You there, pearly white,
How I wonder what
They might say to you
Oh how they wander but hardly they ever move
What do they whisper while hardly they ever move
What do they tell you?
Tell me what they tell you
What do they show you?
Show me what they show you
And if I know you
Like they likely know you
Could I die? Oh my dear.
Love, a lasting love
Like a dove that flies
Right over the years
Truth, precious truth
As in youth i'd like to fly
Up above
Lasting love
Lasting love enough to rise up through the evening sky tonight
How you wander right over the evening sky like a dove
Lasting love
Everlasting love like I never knew
Quite like you do
Precious truth
As in
You there, pearly white
Can you feel the stars tonight?
How I wonder if they are kind, are they kind to you?
How I wonder if maybe they sing this song for you
You there, pearly white
Can you sing a song tonight?
Just for me
Just for me, dear
Of a lasting
Ever, everlasting true love
The lyrics of Merry Ellen Kirk's song Clair de Lune speak of a sense of wonder at the beauty of the stars and a desire to know what they might be whispering. The opening lines "You there, pearly white, can you see the stars in my eyes?" suggest a romantic, intimate moment, with the singer using the phrase 'pearly white' to describe the person they are addressing, perhaps someone they perceive to be pure or angelic. The lines "A kiss from heaven lightly breathed, nightly unsheathed" evoke a sense of divine presence, as if the stars themselves are kissing the singer and revealing their secrets.
The second verse continues the theme of wonder and curiosity, as the singer asks if the person they are addressing can hear what the stars are saying. The repetition of the question "What do they tell you? Tell me what they tell you" emphasizes the singer's desire to know, to understand the mysteries of the universe. The bridge of the song introduces the idea of lasting love, with the metaphor of a dove flying over the years, and the assertion that truth is precious. The final verse returns to the stars, with the singer asking if they are kind and wondering if they might sing a song of lasting, everlasting true love.
Overall, the lyrics of Clair de Lune suggest a sense of awe and wonder at the natural world, as well as a desire for connection and understanding. The image of the stars as whispering secrets and singing songs of love adds a mystical quality to the song, and the repeated use of romantic language such as "pearly white" and "dear" reinforces the sense of intimacy and closeness.
Line by Line Meaning
You there, pearly white
Addressing someone who is pure and bright
Can you see the stars in my eyes?
Asking if they can perceive the wonder and delight in my eyes
A nice reflection it may be
Acknowledging the beauty of the reflection of stars in one's eyes
So it seems, to me
Stating something that appears true in their perception
A kiss from heaven lightly breathed
Describing the serenity and softness of a kiss from heaven
Nightly unsheathed
Referring to the night sky as if it's a sword being unsheathed for display
Can you hear the stars tonight?
Asking if they can listen to the voice of the stars
How I wonder what
Expressing curiosity about something
They might say to you
Contemplating the messages conveyed by the stars
Oh how they wander but hardly they ever move
Reflecting on the peaceful and constant movement pattern of stars
What do they whisper while hardly they ever move
Wondering about the secrets and stories shared by the stars while moving slowly
What do they tell you?
Asking if the stars have shared any secrets with them
Tell me what they tell you
Requesting the person to reveal the messages that the stars shared with them
What do they show you?
Contemplating the visual delight and beauty that the stars offer
Show me what they show you
Asking the person to share the visual appeal of starry skies
And if I know you
If I know your true self
Like they likely know you
As familiar with their nature as admirers of stars are with their beauty
Could I die? Oh my dear.
Expressing that the knowledge of a person's true self can deeply touch and affect one's soul
Love, a lasting love
Defining love as an enduring force
Like a dove that flies
A metaphor of love that resembles a dove flying
Right over the years
Signifying that love lasts through the passage of time
Truth, precious truth
Describing truth as a valuable entity
As in youth i'd like to fly
Aspiring to fly high like in the days of youth
Up above
Towards the sky
Lasting love
Referring to the enduring force of love
Lasting love enough to rise up through the evening sky tonight
The strength of love compared to the ascension of stars through the dark sky
Everlasting love like I never knew
Expressing that the all-encompassing love is something unfamiliar to the singer
Quite like you do
Emphasizing the unique aspects of the love received
Can you feel the stars tonight?
Asking if they can feel the warmth and comfort of the stars
How I wonder if they are kind, are they kind to you?
Curious about the nature of stars towards the person
How I wonder if maybe they sing this song for you
Reflecting on the possibility of stars singing for the person in the song
Can you sing a song tonight?
Asking the person to perform a song in the night
Just for me
Requesting the song to be performed exclusively for the artist
Of a lasting
Referring to love as an enduring force
Ever, everlasting true love
Describing genuine and continuous love that endures forever
Writer(s): Merry Ellen Kirk
Contributed by Isaac N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@donkingsley7518
After hearing your treatment, each time I hear this song by another artist, your voice accompanies it within my mind's inner ear!! Your lyrics are such a sweet treat for this great classic.
@gurukrupaainsuranceagentco1014
beyond words.. sung from soul
@cheongyei
I needed a fix and came to listen again!
Oh, Ms. Kirk, you are divine!
@cheongyei
Tonight I am watching the full lunar eclipse live stream at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, while listening to your lovely tribute to the moon. So Awesome!!!
@plutocat6421
so beautiful! i so happy when listen to this wow!
@cheongyei
So beautiful. You've taken a beautiful tune to a whole new level.
@cheongyei
Absolutely great lyrics and what a brilliant idea. Thank you for this creative gem!
@myrnarobinson289
i love it i am singing it with this lyrics
@TheGirlgamer321
If I had another baby to hold, I'd be singing this to him/her. What a lullabye it would be!
@VeracityLH
Lovely. Eternally, everlasting lovely.