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A Poison Tree by William Blake - OCRThe poem

A Poison Tree deals with a key human emotion - anger. The poem鈥檚 content, ideas, language and structure are explored. Comparisons and alternative interpretations are also considered.

Part of English LiteraturePoems

The poem

A Poison Tree
by William Blake

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 water鈥檇 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 veil鈥檇 the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch鈥檇 beneath the tree.

Note: this poem is included for reference purposes, please refer to your anthology for the definitive version.