In our humanity, we tend to feed such emotions, just as the speaker of the poems suns his tree with "smiles" (7). The wrath does not end but feeds on negativity.
"A Poison Tree" is a mental exercise. The scene of this poem is more significant than anything else because it never leaves the speaker's mind. This poem is about murder. However, it is not the kind of murder we might see on CSI. Instead, this murder takes place within the heart of the speaker. In his soul, where he is completely honest, he allows his enemy to consume the deadly fruit, much like Satan did in the Garden of Eden. Here we see the danger of anger. The tone of this poem is somber, which seems odd when coupled with the sing-song rhyme scheme....
It wants to read like a nursery rhyme but its content is far too macabre.
"A Poison Tree" explores the depravity of the human mind. While humanity likes to think of itself as compassionate and honest, Blake reveals how much humanity can be just the opposite. He illustrates our capacity for revenge and anger through a scenario played out in his mind and while no real damage was done, we can see the power of human emotion. The end result is not pretty, as we realize how far we might go to feed our anger.
Works Cited
Blake, William. "A Poison Tree." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Vol. II. Abrams,
M.H., Ed. New York W.W. Norton and Company. 1986. Print.
