Read the poem.
A Poison Tree
by William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I water'd it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
The tree in Blake's poem can be interpreted as an allusion to the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Bible. Defying
God's command, Adam and Eve eat from the tree, and in return,
God expels them from the Garden of Eden.
How does this allusion affect the poem's tone?
O It reinforces a tone of quiet reverence.
O It contributes to a tone of celebration.
O It fosters a tone of lofty thoughtfulness.
O It helps create an ominous tone.
And it grew both day and night,