In harvesting by hand, the sickle is used to cut the crop, and the rake is used to gather it up. In the literal sense, the rake comes behind the sickle in this process. The poet makes repeated mention of curves to describe womanly shapes and motions. The sickle is used in a curving motion, while the rake is used in repeated linear motion, consistent with the sexual metaphor that Cherry mentions, in the "prodigious mowing". In Scottish dialect, "mowing" means to have sexual intercourse. A "rake" is also a licentious and dissolute man.

Hello Nancy, The correct form to ask is: " What does the poet mean ....?" The poem could have some sexual suggestiveness.Theodore Roethke in " I knew a woman" is using figure of speeches in a clever way to hint at the pleasures he found in the sexual relation with that woman. This metaphor with the 'rake' ( double entendres) * which you referred to as "having two meanings" * is a concrete example. A rake is a garden tool consisting of a row of metal or wooden teeth attached to a long handle. You can use a rake to make the earth smooth and level before you put plants in, or to gather leaves together. "She was the sickle; I, poor I, the rake" is followed by "Coming behind her for, her pretty sake" It is obviously a witty sexual pun ,using "rake" in a metaphorical sense. However the rake's coming behind his lady may simply suggest simple appreciation of the southern charm of a north-bound woman. It could be interpreted in different ways!

It's hard to tell without the rest of the poem but I believe he means rake as in the type of gardening tool. You must be careful with poetry however as poets often use nuances of meaning rather than literal meanings.