Samantha Nagott's poem starts by asking what we picture when we hear the word "hate," then answers with a surprise. Instead of the expected violence, the speaker sees tears, fear and betrayal, and suggests that hate often sits on top of love. Under the "gritting teeth" and "poison words" are "layers of hurt" and plenty of leftover affection.
The second half turns personal. The speaker describes falling for a beautiful girl who barely seemed to notice them, whose smile made their heart race while leaving them tongue-tied. Even now, her smile and voice still have a pull. Yet the speaker also calls her a "viper," something to "hold and not keep."
The mood is bittersweet and a little bruised. The speaker can't decide between longing and resentment, and the poem's title, with its slash between "Hate" and "Love," shows how tangled the two feelings have become.