“Poison Tree” by William Blake: The Poem Analysis
William Blake’s poem A Poison Tree illustrates the destructive power of concealed hatred through vivid symbolism. Using images of the tree, apple, and garden, Blake explores how suppressed wrath grows into something poisonous and fatal. While the poem emphasizes the enemy’s downfall, it leaves unresolved the impact on the speaker’s own soul. Through this ambiguity, Blake reveals how hatred not only destroys others but can also corrode the one who nurtures it.
References
Blake, William. A Poison Tree. Poetry Foundation, 2021. Web.
Canli, Mustafa. “William Blake’s “Songs of Innocence and Experience” as a Practice and Manifestation of the English Romantic Movement.” Eurasian Journal of English Language and Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, 2019, pp. 15-22.
Lara, Mathusha Sam, and K. Vijila. “Juxtaposing the Metaphorical Depiction of Kamala Das’ “Words” and William Blake’s “A Poison Tree”.” Language in India, vol. 18, no. 1, 2018, pp. 131-22.
Mulyati, Sri. “The Analysis of Five William Blake’s Poems.” Wanastra, vol. 11, no. 2, 2019, pp. 131–134.
Reference
StudyCorgi. (2025, August 19). “Poison Tree” by William Blake: The Poem Analysis. https://studycorgi.video/poison-tree-by-william-blake-the-poem-analysis/