The adjective “tedious” means to be tiresome, dull, or slow. The speaker suggests that the relationship may have ended in part because of former arguments—or “tedious riddles”—that his lover could not forgive or move beyond, hence the “eyes that rove.” Hardy may also imply that the lover grew bored with the monotonous nature of the relationship and wished to wander beyond it.
"as eyes that rove..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
The verb “to rove” means to wander or travel without a destination, and the speaker depicts his former lover as having eyes that constantly move. Since the speaker’s thoughts continue after “rove,” this is an example of enjambment, or a thought or phrase that begins in one line and continues into the next line. In a sense, this provides readers with two interpretations: eyes that wander open-endedly and eyes that scrutinize “tedious riddles of years ago.”
"the starving sod..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
The noun “sod” refers to untilled land, usually with grass growing on it. Hardy develops the setting by depicting the land around the pond as “starving,” having completed the seasonal cycle of life and death. Further, the dreariness of the landscape introduces a dismal tone that reflects the speaker’s attitude as he reflects on a scene from a past relationship that occurred in that location.
"as though chidden of God..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
The word “chidden” is the past tense of the verb “to chide,” which means to scold or criticize. The speaker portrays the sun as white, rather than warm, yellow, or bold, as if God’s scolding had deprived or drained it of its vitality.
