"A Poison Tree" by William Blake

William Blake’s poem A Poison Tree from Songs of Experience. The poem is characterized by straightforward diction, simple syntax, and short phrases, creating a rhythm that feels almost childlike in its directness. There is almost no enjambment, and the syntax is paratactic, meaning it uses short, simple sentences that follow one another without much connection. The rhyming structure is also simple and consistent, resembling the flow of a nursery rhyme, and the tone remains smooth throughout, masking deeper, darker emotions.

The central theme of A Poison Tree is the danger of hiding one’s true feelings, particularly anger. The speaker contrasts two reactions to anger: one where the anger is expressed and resolved, and another where it is suppressed, allowing it to grow uncontrollably. The poem uses a metaphor of a tree to illustrate how anger, when left unspoken, develops and eventually leads to harm. In the first stanza, the speaker says, “I was angry with my friend; / I told my wrath, my wrath did end.” This shows that open communication can resolve anger. However, when the speaker is angry with a foe and does not express it, the anger festers: “I told it not, my wrath did grow.” The speaker nurtures this anger with fear, tears, smiles, and deceit, indicating how repressed emotions can grow and take shape, like a tree being carefully cultivated.

In the final stanza, Blake references the biblical story of the Tree of Knowledge. The apple from this tree represents temptation and evil, and it plays a key role in the poem. The enemy, lured by the bright apple, steals it and dies, fulfilling the speaker's hidden plan. The image of the enemy stealing the apple mirrors the biblical narrative of Eve’s temptation in the Garden of Eden, where the innocence of Adam and Eve is corrupted by the serpent's deceit. In this way, the poem connects the biblical tree with the metaphorical tree of anger, drawing parallels between innocence and evil. Blake's simple structure, resembling the innocence of childhood, contrasts sharply with the darker themes of the poem, like anger, deception, and violence. This juxtaposition of innocence and evil reflects the dual forces at play in human nature.

Blake uses a facade of friendship to explore deeper themes of deception and human nature. While the speaker presents a friendly exterior, the true emotions like anger, resentment, and malice lie underneath, hidden from view. This facade of innocence hides dark motives, leading to the speaker's ultimate act of violence. The poem serves as a cautionary tale, suggesting that repressed emotions can grow into something toxic and that suppressing one’s true feelings can ultimately lead to harm.

In the end, A Poison Tree carries a didactic message: do not repress your emotions, especially anger. While Blake often explored social problems and class struggles in his work, here he focuses more on the psychological and emotional consequences of hiding one’s true feelings. The poem addresses the tension between innocence and dark motives, and in doing so, it reflects a deeper truth about humanity, the danger of pretending to be something you are not, and the violence that can arise from unaddressed emotions.