This poem is hard to understand without first knowing a little context. The Malham Bird is part of Judaism and would have been something Abse believed in. The story goes that the bird never ate the Forbidden Fruit and so remained in the Garden of Eden without the burden of death. This bird does not know a world with sin.
This is important. Abse is glad that he is not this bird, for the bird might live forever but since it was the only bird to listen and not eat the Forbidden Fruit, it lives in the garden "lonely, immortal". Abse is saying that though his days may be numbered, he'd rather that and be with the one he loves. Like Larkin's Reference Back, the message here is to make the best of what you've got and to live every moment as if it's your last- because it just might be!
Love is blind, according to Abse. It does not take prejudice- "you a Gentile and I a Jew!" shows this. He doesn't care whether she believes the same as he does, as long as she loves him and he love her, and that they aren't lonely like the Malham Bird.
Glad to see you are posting more consistently and regularly. You must now keep this up as prep for the exam. It is crucial that you have enough material to draw upon in the exam. There are 4 more poems due this week and you must make sure you keep up and become more disciplined in your self-study.
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