What is the meanning of this sonnet?

Question

I never gave a lock of hair away
To a man, Dearest, except this to thee,
Which now upon my fingers thoughtfully,
I ring out to the full brown length and say
' Take it.' My day of youth went yesterday;
My hair no longer bounds to my foot's glee,
Nor plant I it from rose or myrtle-tree,
As girls do, any more: it only may
Now shade on two pale cheeks the mark of tears,
Taught drooping from the head that hangs aside
Through sorrow's trick. I thought the funeral-shears
Would take this first, but Love is justified,--
Take it thou,--finding pure, from all those years,
The kiss my mother left here when she died.

It's by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, thanks!

Answer 1

Just moments ago I answerd a Q regarding Elizabeth; one of my all time favorite poets, and I offered some trivia.

In essence she's speaking or her virginity, aging; and the fact that she didn't live to see 50 years of age; (which she obviously didn't reference; or could know) BUT did LOVE.

Steven Wolf