1. A
Po ison
Tree

2. verall Review Author William Blake Basic Synopsis
The speaker was angry with a friend, but his anger toward his “enemy” was not revealed. His anger was nurtured with fears and negative feelings about the ‘foe'. The speaker's growing hatred was masked by smiles and acting. His anger basically grew into a tree bearing a shiny apple which was desired by the enemy. The foe, therefore, crept into the speaker's garden on a starless night and took the apple, resulting in the enemy's death lying beneath the tree.
Theme
Anger
Lies and Deceit
Communication

3. What is the difference in the two examples of the speaker’s anger?
He tells his friend his anger
He doesn't tell his foe his anger.
Lines 1-4
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.

5. Alluding to Genesis
The wrath of the speaker becomes a metaphorical tree bearing a poison apple. This allusion to the book of Genesis, chapter 3, is a clear one. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the poem's tree. The Serpent is the speaker, both tempting and deceitful. And Adam and Eve are the foe, both guilty of disobedience.

6. What does the speaker feel about his foe’s harm?
He is actually glad
What does the speaker feel about his foe’s harm?
Lines 13-16
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree

7. What literary device is used by comparing anger and the tree?
Symbolism
Imagery
Allegory
The speaker talks about anger as if it were a plant. So, naturally he must "water" it. Only, he doesn't water it with water, but rather with his tears. Sadness, anger, and other negative feelings become the life-giving liquid that causes the anger to grow. It is arguable that, because the speaker waters his anger with negative things like tears and fears, it eventually bears a poisonous apple.

8. By what is the foe tempted?
The apple
Lines 9-12
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine

9. Questions from the packet!
What two ways of handling anger are mentioned in this poem?
For a friend and a foe
Who are the victims in this poem?
The victims in this poem is in fact the enemy. Because, he is a victim of the speaker's anger-apple.
While he may admit that he was glad to see his foe laid low, we're left feeling far more conflicted, and more sensitive to the damage our own anger might cause others.