A Poison Tree

Blake uses the metaphor of

Blake uses the metaphor of a growing tree throughout the poem to represent how anger develops and spreads. The speaker's anger is compared to a seed t

The poem opens by contrasting two

The poem opens by contrasting two situations: anger expressed to a friend (which ends) versus anger suppressed toward an enemy (which grows). This est

The second stanza describes how

The second stanza describes how the speaker deliberately feeds his anger with 'tears' (watering), 'smiles' and 'soft deceitful wiles' (sunning). These

The 'apple bright' alludes to

The 'apple bright' alludes to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, where the forbidden fruit led to their downfall. Similarly, the poisonous fruit in t

The final stanza reveals the ultimate

The final stanza reveals the ultimate result of nursed anger - the enemy's death. The speaker finds his foe 'outstretch'd beneath the tree,' suggestin