Power in Silence
In a sort of confession of wrong doing, the narrator praises his lover for her role in their relationship, which perhaps he has previously ignored. He compares her to a bird, bringing song and joy into their lives. Her job is to draw in beauty, just as she is beautiful. In return, he offers her safety in a warm embrace and a place to roost at night.
A Girl
Once more in praise of a girl, the narrator devotes a few lines. As for physical appearance, he believes this girl marked for a carefree life. Nevertheless her heart is active and stormy, as if she cannot accept her fate. He leaves the poem largely unfinished in an invitation for his lover to complete in her own way.
XXI
This poem is an invitation to the muses of Greek tradition. The narrator credits them as his sole inspiration, though he alone writes the words. He desires nothing more than to praise them endlessly, so long as he can look upon them and their beauty as a source of inspiration.
Beloved
Love is the answer here. If a person is beloved, writes the author, then that person is secure. They can expect to be preserved through suffering, grief, and corruption. Even death is no trouble when a person has love upon which to rely. As a universal constant, this one experience of loving and being beloved will bring meaning and banish fear from a person.
