I had no time to Hate (J. 478) Weeds

I had no time to Hate--
Because
The Grave would hinder Me--
And Life was not so
Ample I
Could finish--Enmity--

Nor had I time to Love--
But since
Some Industry must be--
The little Toil of Love--
I thought
Be large enough for Me--

 

Weeds

[1] no time to Hate:: she was busy in planting and forgot to hate.
[3] Grave:: a trench for earthing up potatoes and other roots (OED grave n.1 4).
[4] Life:: the life of the root plant.
[6] Enmity:: the hostility towards the weed, virgin's bower in line ten.
[7] to Love:: to do things she loves.
[9] Industry:: the hard work to remove weeds.
[10] Love:: the old name of Traveller's Joy or Virgin's Bower. (OED love n.1 14, 1640)
[12] large:: the effort to remove weeds.

Why clematis has received the name of "traveller's joy" is, because it decks and adorns "waies and hedges where people travel." Its other name, virgin's-bower, is simple enough; for what could be more appropriate to the young, gentle, dreamy girl, who haunts "bowers," than that chastest and most elegant, purest and most fragrant flower, the clematis? -- The National magazine, Volume 4 (1858)

(August 16, 2010 by J. F.)

Source: http://wordplay-shakespeare.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-had-no-time-to-hate-j-478-weeds.html