"A Poison Tree" by William Blake

 "A Poison Tree" by  William Blake

A Poison Tree

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Summary,

"A Poison Tree" is a poem by William Blake, published in his collection Songs of Experience in 1794. The poem explores the consequences of suppressing anger and harboring grudges. Here's a brief summary and analysis of the poem:

The poem "A Poison Tree" by William Blake explores the contrasting outcomes of dealing with anger openly versus suppressing it. The speaker recounts feeling anger towards a friend and resolving it through communication, which extinguishes the anger. In contrast, when anger is directed at an enemy, the speaker chooses to conceal it, allowing the anger to grow and fester. This suppressed anger is metaphorically nurtured with fears, tears, and deceit, eventually growing into a tree that bears a bright, poisonous apple.

The speaker discusses two instances of anger. In the first, he expresses his anger to a friend, which resolves the issue. In the second, he conceals his anger towards an enemy, allowing it to grow. This hidden anger becomes a metaphorical tree that bears a poisonous apple. The enemy, tempted by the fruit, steals it and dies, symbolizing the destructive power of repressed emotions.

The enemy, attracted by the tempting apple, steals into the speaker’s garden at night and eats the fruit. By morning, the enemy lies dead beneath the tree, symbolizing the destructive consequences of hidden anger and the eventual harm it can cause. The poem highlights the dangers of repressed emotions and the importance of addressing anger openly to avoid such harmful outcomes.

Themes:

1. Anger and its Consequences:
   The poem contrasts two ways of dealing with anger: open communication and suppression. The former leads to resolution, while the latter leads to destructive outcomes. This highlights the importance of addressing negative emotions constructively.

2. Deception and Facade:
   The speaker hides their true feelings behind smiles and deceit, which helps the anger grow unnoticed. This illustrates how pretending everything is fine can exacerbate internal conflicts.

3. Revenge and Retribution:
   The culmination of suppressed anger results in a symbolic act of revenge. The enemy's death underlines the ultimate harm caused by holding onto grudges and seeking retribution.

4. Moral Corruption:
   The tree and its fruit are metaphors for the corrupting influence of negative emotions. The tree flourishes through deceit and fear, symbolizing how these emotions can consume and destroy both the individual and others.

Symbolism:

1. The Tree:
   The tree represents the growing power of hidden anger. Just as a tree needs nourishment to grow, suppressed anger is fed by fear, tears, and deceit.

2. The Apple:
   The apple symbolizes the culmination of the speaker’s repressed anger, enticing but ultimately lethal. It reflects the Biblical reference to the forbidden fruit, linking the poem to themes of temptation and the fall of man.

3. The Garden:
   The garden serves as a private space where the speaker’s emotions are nurtured. It represents the internal world where suppressed feelings are cultivated.