这里的拟作是借用汉唐典故而抒发“闺怨”之情。词情哀怨凄惋（婉），屈曲缠绵。汪刻本于词题“拟古决绝词”后有“柬友”二字，由此而论，则这“闺怨”便是一种假托了，这怨情的背后，似乎更有着深层的痛楚，无非借闺怨作隐约的表达罢了。故有人以为此篇是别有隐情，无非是借失恋女子的口吻，谴责那负心的锦衣郎的。
这里的柬友应该是写给一位朋友，根据纳兰的性格和词风，这首诗恐怕是为安慰一位失恋的朋友所做，当然失恋的应该是个男性，这里是从女性的角度写一首词来安慰朋友。最后两句明写女子遭遗弃后的抱怨，暗写当初两人山盟海誓，而女子如今负心。当然最大的可能是当初两人订有私情，而后来女方迫于某压力，不得不另嫁他人，而男方无法接受，所以作者劝他，宽慰朋友接受现实，并引用典故说明感情的事自古如此，要多想开些。
木兰花拟古决绝词是唐代女诗人刘禹锡所作，下面是该诗的原文和英文翻译：
木兰花·拟古决绝词
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机杼声，惟闻女叹息。
问女何所思？问女何所忆？女亦无所思，女亦无所忆。
昨夜见军帖，可汗大点兵。军书十二卷，卷卷有爷名。
阿爷无大儿，木兰无长兄。愿为市鞍马，从此替爷征。
东市买骏马，西市买鞍鞯，南市买辔头，北市买长鞭。
旦辞爷娘去，暮宿黄河边。不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻黄河流水鸣溅溅。
旦辞黄河去，暮至黑山头。不闻爷娘唤女声，但闻燕山胡骑鸣啾啾。
万里赴戎机，关山度若飞。朔气传金柝，寒光照铁衣。
将军百战死，壮士十年归。归来见天子，天子坐明堂。
策勋十二转，赏赐百千强。可汗问所欲，木兰不用尚书郎，愿借明驼千里足，送儿还故乡。
爷娘闻女来，出郭相扶将。阿姊闻妹来，当户理红妆。小弟闻姊来，磨刀霍霍向猪羊。
开我东阁门，坐我西阁床。脱我战时袍，著我旧时裳。当窗理云鬓，对镜帖花黄。
出门看火伴，火伴皆惊忙。同行十二年，不知木兰是女郎。
雄兔脚扑朔，雌兔眼迷离；双兔傍地走，安能辨我是雄雌？
English Translation:
Mulan Flower
Jiji fujiji, Mulan dang hu zhi.
Buweng jizhusheng, weiweng nü tanxi.
Ask the girl what she is thinking,
Ask the girl what she is remembering.
The girl has no thoughts,
The girl has no memories.
Last night I saw the military order,
The Khan is preparing a great army.
The military book has twelve volumes,
Each volume bears the name of a father.
Father has no eldest son,
Mulan has no elder brother.
I wish to buy a horse and saddle,
And serve in father's place.
I buy a horse from the Eastern market,
I buy saddle and reins from the Western market,
I buy a bridle from the Southern market,
I buy a long whip from the Northern market.
At dawn I leave my parents,
In the evening I camp by the Yellow River.
I hear no sound of my parents calling me,
Only the sound of the Yellow River flowing endlessly.
At dawn I leave the Yellow River,
In the evening I arrive at the Black Mountains.
I hear no sound of my parents calling me,
Only the sound of the Northern wind blowing in the grasslands.
I go ten thousand miles to fight the enemy,
I cross mountains and passes like a flying bird.
The cold north wind carries the sound of golden drums,
The cold light shines on my iron armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Brave soldiers return after ten years.
When I return and see the emperor,
The emperor sits on his bright throne.
I am awarded twelve times for my meritorious deeds,
And given a reward of a thousand taels of gold.
The Khan asks me what I want,
I say I do not want to be a high official,
But only want to borrow a fast camel,
To take my son back to my hometown.
When my parents hear that I am coming,
They come out of town to meet me.
My elder sister hears that I am coming,
She puts on her red dress to wait for me.
My younger brother hears that I am coming,
He sharpens his knife to slaughter the pig and sheep.
I open the door of my East Chamber,
I sit on my West Chamber bed.
I take off my war robe,
And put on my old dress.
I comb my hair in front of the window,
And apply make-up in front of the mirror.
When I go out to see my comrades,
They are all surprised and amazed.
We have been together for twelve years,
And they did not know that Mulan was a girl.
The male rabbit's feet are swift and agile,
The female rabbit's eyes are blurred and confused.
When two rabbits run side by side,
How can you tell which is the male and which is the female?
《木兰花·拟古决绝词》是唐代杜甫所作，全文如下：
唧唧复唧唧，木兰当户织。不闻机声喜溢，但听人言又闻。少女十二三，愿嫁郎君偕老。郎君勿欺我，青山遮不住，毕竟东流去。
这首诗描述了一个少女木兰，在家中默默织布，听到外面的人谈论到战乱时，便毅然决定悄悄地代替父亲、兄长前去从军，最终英勇战死的故事。杜甫借此表达了对木兰的敬佩和对忠贞爱国精神的赞扬。
译文如下：
唧唧复唧唧，木兰正在家中织布。她没有听到机器的声音，只听到别人的言谈。年轻的少女十二三岁，希望与丈夫白头偕老。丈夫啊，请不要欺骗我，尽管青山无法挡住，归宿始终是东流。
木兰花·拟古决绝词
纳兰性德
【原文】
人生若只如初见，何事秋风悲画扇[1]。
等闲变却故人心[2]，却道故人心易变。
骊山语罢清宵半[3]，泪雨霖铃终不怨[4]。
何如薄幸锦衣郎[5]，比翼连枝[6]当日愿！
【注释】
[1]何事：为什么。画扇：用汉代班婕妤（jié yú）被弃的典故。班婕妤为汉成帝妃，被赵飞燕谗害，退居冷宫，后有诗《怨歌行》，以秋扇为喻抒发被弃之怨情。
[2]等闲：轻易地。故人：这里指相亲相爱的人。
[3]骊（lí）山：山名，在今陕西。唐玄宗与杨玉环曾在骊山华清宫长生殿内盟誓，愿世世为夫妻。
[4]泪雨霖铃：杨玉环死后，唐玄宗闻雨声、铃声而悲伤，遂作《雨霖铃》曲以寄哀思。这里借用此典。
[5]何如：怎么样。薄幸：薄情。锦衣郎：代指心上人。
[6]何如：怎么样。薄幸：薄情。锦衣郎：代指心上人。
作品原文
木兰花·拟古决绝词柬友
人生若只如初见，何事秋风悲画扇。
等闲变却故人心，却道故人心易变。
骊山语罢清宵半，泪雨霖铃终不怨。
何如薄幸锦衣郎，比翼连枝当日愿。
白话译文
与意中人相处应当总像刚刚相识的时候，是那样地甜蜜，那样地温馨，那样地深情和快乐。但你我本应当相亲相爱，却为何成了今日的相离相弃?如今轻易地变了心，你却反而说情人间就是容易变心的。
我与你就像唐明皇与杨玉环那样，在长生殿起过生死不相离的誓言，却又最终作决绝之别，即使如此，也不生怨。但你又怎比得上当年的唐明皇呢，他总还是与杨玉环有过比翼鸟、连理枝的誓愿。
作品鉴赏
词题说这是一首拟古之作，其所拟之《决绝词》本是古诗中的一种，是以女子的口吻控诉男子的薄情，从而表态与之决绝。如古辞《白头吟》、唐元稹《古决绝词三首》等。纳兰性德的这首拟作是借用汉唐典故而抒发“闺怨”之情。