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In Marvell's work, he alludes to many aspects of Herrick's poem. An example of this is the utilization of the color red. In the first line of the poem, the speaker asks the virgins to "Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." The rosebud, in this instance, is an analogy for young virgins, calling them to get together and marry. It is also a symbol for the first part of a person's life, their youth in which someone is pristine and unspoiled. This scenario is one which gives off a positive connotation, that of the warmth and tenderness of love, which is often symbolized by a rose. The rose also alludes to virginity, in which a virgin has yet to be "deflowered" and is thus still pure for marriage. Contrasting these beliefs are those of Marvell, who alludes to the color red throughout his poem. However, the connotation of red which Marvell implants in our minds is one of violence and aggression. Focusing on seizing the day by having sex, the red which Marvell alludes to is that of blood, from a virgin losing her virginity. .
Another similarity between the two poems is an allusion to the sun. In lines 5-8, Herrick discusses the "glorious lamp of heaven", how it rises through the sky, and the end of its race is approaching as the sun nears setting. Herrick utilizes the personification of the sun running a race across the sky, serving as the standard for time. This metaphor is also used in the last two lines of Marvell's poem. The speaker states that the sun cannot be made to stand still; however, "we", alluding to the virgins, have the power to make it run. The personification here of the sun is no coincidence, for it is employed in the same manner as in Herrick's poem, showing that Marvell's composition was an indirect response to Herrick's work.
To further support the belief that Marvell's work was an indirect response to Herrick's poem; the reader can focus on the utilization of the word "coy.
