A Poison Tree

A Poison

Tree

By William Blake

Poem

About the Author

Vocabulary

Elements

Intro

About the Author

Poet, painter, engraver, and visionary William Blake worked to bring about a change both in the social order and in the minds of men. Though in his lifetime his work was largely neglected or dismissed, he is now considered one of the leading lights of English poetry, and his work has only grown in popularity.​

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Vocabulary

Match the words in the poem to their definition

Behold​ Deceitful​ Shine​ Stole​ Wile​ Wrath​

to see or observe something​

Strong anger​

can mean "crept", as well as to take something​

A trick used to outwit someone​

to give off light​

dishonest, with the aim of tricking others​

Elements

• Couplet- two lines of verse, usually in the same meter and joined by rhyme, that form a unit.
• Quatrain- a stanza or poem of four lines, usually with alternate rhymes.
• Anaphora- The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of lines, creating rhetorical emphasis on that phrase.
• Examples of Poetic Devices:
• Personification - Waters the wrath with fear. - I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
• Metaphor -The tree is considered as a wrath/anger. ...
• Alliteration -sunned and smiles. ...
• Imagery - Throughout the poem.
• Irony -the foe beneath the tree of hatred.
• Repitition -“I was angry with my friend… I was angry with my foe”
• Allusion-references to Eve and the Garden of Eden

Which inference about the speaker of the poem is best supported by the text?

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 waterd it in fears, Night & 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 veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

The speaker steals an apple from his foe’s garden.

The speaker is consumed by anger and bitterness.

The speaker is a gardener.

The speaker doesn’t have many friends.

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Arrange these eight lines from the poem into rhyming couplets. The first line is completed for you:

Till it bore an apple bright.

When the night had veil'd the pole;

And it grew both day and night.

And he knew that it was mine.

Night & morning with my tears:

And my foe beheld it shine,

And I water'd it in fears,

And into my garden stole,

I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

I was angry with my friend:

Which of the following statements would the author of the poem most likely agree with?

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 waterd it in fears, Night & 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 veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Fear causes a person to be more uncertain about their beliefs.

Kindness towards each other creates friendships.

Repressed anger can lead to terrible outcomes.

Forgiveness isn’t always possible in some friendships.

Which inference is best supported by the poem?

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 waterd it in fears, Night & 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 veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Stealing from others has troubling consequences for a thief.

Enemies can build a lasting friendship by sharing possessions.

Resolution of conflict is possible when people express their feelings.

A garden must be tended with water, sun, and care so that fruit grows.

Which line from the poem most strongly supports the answer to last question?

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 waterd it in fears, Night & 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 veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

“And I sunned it with smiles,”

“I told my wrath, my wrath did end.”

“And he knew that it was mine,”

“And into my garden stole”

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A symbol is an image, object, or artifact that is used to represent an abstract idea or concept. For example, The Statue of Liberty can be viewed as a symbol of freedom, or the heart shape can be a symbol for love. Identify a symbol in “The Poison Tree.” What is the symbol, and what function does it serve in the poem? What hidden meaning or message is the symbol meant to convey?

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 waterd it in fears, Night & 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 veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

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