In ‘A Poison Tree’ William Blake describes how to handle anger both with a friend and an enemy. The poet has given the readers a very valuable lesson how to handle conflict. Blake also helps the readers by clearly explaining the ill effects of holding malice inside oneself.
The first stanza speaks about two types of anger. One that was against a friend and one against an enemy. When the anger was against a friend, he took pain to explain his feelings and so the conflict was resolved. The anger ended. The other was against his enemy. He did not like him. He held the anger inside and did not express it. He also did not try to express it to others and find a solution. Resentment began to grow inside.
The second stanza talks about the anger which grew as a poison tree. The poet cultivated his anger, watered his budding tree with fear and tears every day and night. The enemy did not know of this growing fury. Deceptively the poet employed his smiles as though it was sun to this toxic tree.
With charm he cleverly did not allow interjection or awareness of his wrath. Third stanza tells how he nurtured the tree. Anger poisoned the human spirit, furthermore, it endangered the ability to use ogical reasoning. Finally the tree bore the fruit of fury in the form of a beautiful, appealing apple. The enemy of the poet planned to stealthily eat the fruit of the tree.
In the final stanza, the enemy was lured by the fruit of that poison tree. Without the knowledge of the poet, the enemy ate the fruit of fury and was found dead the next day under the tree. The poet does not seem to worry about the loss. Blake uses the poem as a warning to those who harbour grudges and allow the feelings of resentment to stay inside without dealing with them. Expressing the feelings is the only Way to avoid the fruit of poison tree.
