A Poisoned Tree by William Blake
Line
Poem
No
Stanza 1
1 I was angry with my friend:
2 I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
3 I was angry with my foe:
4 I told it not, my wrath did grow.
Stanza 2
5 And I watered it in fears,
6 Night and morning with my tears;
7 And I sunned it with smiles,
8 And with soft deceitful wiles.
Stanza 3
9 And it grew both day and night,
10 Till it bore an apple bright;
11 And my foe beheld it shine,
12 And he knew it was mine,
Meaning
The persona was upset with his friend.
angry = upset
He talked to his friend about why he was angry and
they were able to settle their differences. They are still
friends.
wrath = anger
The persona was upset with his enemy.
foe = enemy
However, he did not talk to his enemy to resolve their
differences. As a result, his anger grew more intense.
The persona let his anger grow like a tree. He nurtured
his ‘tree of anger’ with his anxieties
watered = metaphor for a tree (by giving it water)
it = refers to the persona’s anger towards his enemy
which is symbolised as a tree
fears = anxieties
and his tears of anger and despair every day.
night and morning = every day
He acted as if he was a friend to his enemy by smiling
sunned = metaphor for a tree (by giving it sunlight)
it = refers to the persona’s anger towards his enemy
which is symbolised as a tree of anger
and telling lies to seek revenge on his enemy.
deceitful = dishonest
wiles = trickery
The persona continued to plot his revenge and his ‘tree
of anger’ grew
it = refers to the tree of anger
day and night = every day
until it was ready and bore fruit - an apple - which was
the trap that he had set for his enemy.
it = refers to the tree of anger
The apple was very attractive to his enemy
it = refers to the poisoned apple
because the fruit belonged to the persona and his
enemy wanted to have it.
it = refers to the poisoned apple
1
 Stanza 4
13 And into my garden stole The enemy sneaked into the persona’s garden
stole = sneak
14 When the night had veiled the pole: at night to steal the apple.
veiled = covered, hid
the pole = refers to the pole star, also known as the
North star or Polaris. It is the brightest star at night but
on this night it was hidden so it could not give
protection to the persona’s enemy.
15 In the morning glad I see The next morning, the persona was satisfied to see that
his trap had worked
glad = satisfied or happy
16 My foe outstretched beneath the tree. because his enemy ate the apple and was poisoned.
outstretched = to lie down on the ground

Prepared by : Safina Kamaruddin, SMK Ungku Husin, April 2017