The speaker offers her beloved not a physical present, but herself through her words. She describes each word or poem as a little jar to be placed on a shelf—quaint, beautiful, full of pleasant colors and shine. These jars hold more than decoration: their scent fills the room with the sweetness of flowers and crushed grasses, as if each one preserves something alive, fragrant, and fleeting about her.
Underneath this gift is a quiet sadness. Once the last jar is handed over, the beloved will have the whole of her, but she will be dead. The mood is tender and intimate, yet touched by loss. The poem suggests that giving yourself through art is a way of offering everything you have, knowing that the gift outlives you.