The first two quatrains are introspective and emotional with the speaker lamenting his plight and wishing he had the fortune, appearance, hope, friends, and talents of other men. It is not until the third quatrain that a metaphor even appears. The speaker almost hates himself for his thoughts of inferiority to other men, until by chance, his thoughts shift to his love. Thinking of his love, the speaker transforms into a sweet songbird rising up to heaven and singing its praises. In this quatrain, all the depressed thoughts of the first two quatrains fade away. Suddenly the speaker, who coveted others in the first two quatrains, feels so rich that he would not swap places with a king.