A Poison Tree

Meaning Of Each Stanza

Stanza 1
The persona is angry with his friend and talk it out.Thus,his anger dissipated,and the friendship remains intact.However,when he is angry with his enemy,he keeps quiet.As a result,his anger grows even more intense within him.

Stanza 2
Day and night,he let his anger flourish.The persona act in deceitful ways.

Stanza 3
Through the persona's efforts,the poison tree of anger eventually bears fruits- 'an apple bright' which the enemy clearly recognises as the persona's.The apple is very attractive to the enemy.

Stanza 4
The 'apple' is attractive and lures the enemy who unsuspectingly sneaks into the persona's garden at night.During the night,the 'pole star' is hidden and cannot protect or guide the enemy from the danger of the 'apple bright'.The 'pole star' is the North Star or Polaris,a bright star permanently in the sky still used by navigators to avoid dangers while travelling.The 'foe' eats the apple and is poisoned,much to the satisfaction of the persona.

                  By:William Blake

Stanza 1
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

Stanza 2
And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears
And I sunned it with smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles

Stanza 3
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

Stanza 4
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstrerched beneath the free