A Poison Tree - William Blake
/A Poison Tree - William Blake/
On Concealed Wrath and Its Bitter Harvest
Original (Line 1): I was angry with my friend:
English (Line 1): I was angry with my friend:
Original (Line 2): I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
English (Line 2): I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
Original (Line 3): I was angry with my foe:
English (Line 3): I was angry with my foe:
Original (Line 4): I told it not, my wrath did grow.
English (Line 4): I told it not, my wrath did grow.
Original (Line 5): And I waterd it in fears
English (Line 5): And I watered it with fears
Original (Line 6): Night & morning with my tears:
English (Line 6): Night and morning with my tears:
Original (Line 7): And I sunnèd it with smiles
English (Line 7): And I sunned it with smiles
Original (Line 8): And with soft deceitful wiles.
English (Line 8): And with soft, deceitful wiles.
Original (Line 9): And it grew both day and night,
English (Line 9): And it grew both day and night,
Original (Line 10): Till it bore an apple bright,
English (Line 10): Till it bore an apple bright,
Original (Line 11): And my foe beheld it shine,
English (Line 11): And my foe beheld it shine,
Original (Line 12): And he knew that it was mine,—
English (Line 12): And he knew that it was mine—
Original (Line 13): And into my garden stole
English (Line 13): And into my garden he stole
Original (Line 14): When the night had veil’d the pole;
English (Line 14): When the night had veiled the sky;
Original (Line 15): In the morning glad I see
English (Line 15): In the morning I was glad to see
Original (Line 16): My foe outstretch’d beneath the tree.
English (Line 16): My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
William Blake’s poem “A Poison Tree,” from his 1794 collection *Songs of Experience*, addresses the destructive nature of hidden wrath. At first, the speaker easily resolves anger towards a friend by openly acknowledging it. However, when wrath is concealed against a foe, that resentment grows clandestine, nurtured by fear, tears, and disingenuous smiles. Symbolized by a poison apple that ultimately fells the speaker’s enemy, the poem conveys how suppressed anger can become a corrosive force.
By personifying anger as a tree, Blake highlights the natural, almost organic process by which bitterness and ill will can develop if left unspoken. The poem echoes biblical imagery of forbidden fruit, suggesting that harboring silent malice invites ruin, not only for the adversary but also in a broader moral sense for the one who harbors it.
“A Poison Tree” thus functions as both cautionary tale and moral lesson: emotions withheld are emotions fed. Rather than dismantling discord through open communication, the speaker embraces secrecy, leading to an act of vengeance. That his foe stealthily trespasses the garden at night hints at the mutual deception in their relationship. Ultimately, the poem reminds us that a hidden grudge, left to fester, may yield deadly outcomes. Blake’s succinct structure and vivid symbolism underscore the ease with which hatred, if nursed, can transform into something far more insidious than passing anger.
Key points
1. Suppressed anger grows stronger when left unacknowledged.
2. Vengeful impulses can lead to destructive outcomes.
3. Blake’s symbolic “poison tree” shows the toxic fruit of concealed wrath.
4. Honest communication is key to defusing animosity and preventing harm.