It's such a little thing to weep — Pearl

Oysters weep to yield pearls, little things desired by men and women. Trades and size hint at the answer. Size has a rare usage of a device for measuring pearls _{(OED n.1 9)}.

It's such a little thing to weep－
So short a thing to sigh－
And yet－by Trades－the size of these
We men and women die!

(F.220/J.189)

[1] weep:: to drop tears; a hint on the shape of pearls, and how a pearl is formed in a pearl oyster.
[2] short:: friable, brittle. sigh:: to desire by sighing.
[3] size:: a device for measuring pearls _{(OED n.1 9)}, used for trading. Trades:: what to be criticized in this poem; it's a little (shameful) thing for men and women to desire and trade them.
[4] die:: to desire extremely.