Subject: English Literature
Poem: A Poison Tree
By: Jimmy Wong Guan Lin Y8R
"A Poison Tree" by William Blake explores the destructive
power of suppressed anger. The speaker contrasts two
experiences—resolving anger with a friend through honesty, and
letting anger grow against a foe by hiding it. This hidden
wrath is symbolized as a tree that bears a beautiful but
deadly apple. The foe, lured by its appearance, eats the fruit
and dies. Through simple language and vivid imagery, Blake
shows how repressed emotions, deceit, and lack of
communication can lead to harmful consequences. The poem
warns that when anger is nurtured in silence, it becomes
poison.