The poem opens with a nightingale, a creature known for its beautiful song, boasting about its musical talent. The glow-worm, a tiny insect that emits light, counters by saying her light shines brighter than the nightingale's song. The nightingale dismisses the glow-worm, proclaiming that only the "birds of the air" can truly appreciate its song.
The poem concludes with a twist. The speaker, who has been observing this exchange, declares that the glow-worm is more beautiful than the nightingale because her light can be seen and enjoyed by everyone, even those who cannot hear the nightingale's song.
Essentially, the poem suggests that beauty is subjective and that different forms of beauty can appeal to different audiences. The nightingale's beauty is fleeting and exclusive, while the glow-worm's beauty is accessible and enduring. The poem also subtly criticizes the nightingale's arrogance and praises the glow-worm's humility and generosity.