A man lies awake in a dark house, watching fireflies drift outside. At first they seem almost ghostly, like the spirits of lost children, or like thoughts flickering between nerve cells. Then the poem turns to what the lights are really doing: it's mating season, and each species flashes its own pattern to find a partner. But hungry females sometimes copy another species' signal, lure in the wrong males, and eat them. The "romantic dinner for one" is a darkly funny line.
The title, "Mixed Signals," fits both worlds. The fireflies send false messages, and the speaker, tossing and turning indoors, seems restless and a little lonely. The final line, a wistful nod to Shakespeare's *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, suggests he wishes for the magic and ease of summer love, or simply for sleep and dreams. The mood is quiet, curious, and gently humorous, with an undertone of longing.