The poem is an exercise in persuasion, presenting sentiments intended to cajole the young lady to emerge from hiding. For example, if she remains in confinement, the speaker says, she will be like a rose that grows in a desert. No one will be able to appreciate her beauty. "Small is the worth / Of beauty from the light retired," he says. In time, her beauty will fade, and opportunities for a fulfilling life will have passed her by.