Line Five: "And rebel roots."

[GeneticBlend]

Line five is:

"And rebel roots."

Could the word "rebel" be refering to the South, and the Civil War?

If so, it might tie in with the next line, which is "Grey eyes watch over", because of the color grey.

[GeneticBlend]

There were many confederate sympathizers in Manhattan during the Civil War. They called themselves the Copperheads.