A Shropshire Lad
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Key: V: Textual Variation. C: Commentary. Q: Question. Glossary
ASL LXIII “I hoed and trenched and weeded”
Top ▲ Glossary
| Line | Word | Glossary |
| 1 | hoed | Dug or weeded using a hoe
(a garden implement used for weeding or turning over soil. A long pole with a small flat metal blade set into one end at a right angle to the pole.) |
| 1 | trenched | Cleared trenches and ditches to allow drainage |
| 3 | unheeded | Unnoticed |
| 4 | hue | Colour |
| 4 | wear | Fashion |
| 10 | mars | Spoils |
Top ▲ Questions
| Line | Question |
| 1 | If the poem is taken to be an extended metaphor for the writing of poetry, what does each of these verbs represent in that process? Considering Housman’s comment about the composition of this poem, cited in the commentary, is there some irony here? |
| 7 | Of which other lines from the collection does this line remind you? |
| 12 | Comment on the use of alliteration in this poem. |
| 14 | What do you think “light-leaved” means? |
| 15 | Why is it “luckless” lads who will wear the flowers? |
” Two of the stanzas, I do not say which, came into my head, just as they are printed, while I was crossing the corner of Hampstead Heath…A third stanza came with a little coaxing after tea. One more was needed, but it did not come: I had to turn to and compose it myself, and that was a laborious business. I wrote it thirteen times, and it was more than a twelvemonth before I got it right” (NNP, p.53)