The poem follows a life from sheltered beginnings to a sudden, brutal end, and the title gives away its trick: the "it" being described seems to be a heart. At first it is protected and afraid to leave safety, yet it slowly wants freedom and choice. Once released, it is curious and joyful, and it trusts the person it is handed to. The beating becomes desire and passion.
Then the tone turns. The heart is glanced at, dropped, kicked and stomped on. The line "Released unto her" suggests a specific person, so the poem reads like a story of love and betrayal, though it never spells out the details.
The speaker sounds like a quiet observer rather than someone crying out, and that detachment makes the ending hit harder. The mood moves from tender and hopeful to heartbreaking. The last line is flat and final, and the word "beating" shifts from a sign of life to a description of violence.