A Poison Tree
Witham 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 waterd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears : ;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
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.
And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
Theme:
Ans. The theme of this poem is that holding a grudge can be fatal to the self as well as, the object of wrath. Also, remaining silent about our anger hinders personal and spiritual growth, making us bitter, and that a grudge left unchecked becomes dangerous, even murderous.
Paraphrasing
Detailed Paraphrase of Each Line:
"I was angry with my friend;"
The speaker felt anger towards a friend.
"I told my wrath, my wrath did end."
The speaker expressed their anger to the friend, which allowed the anger to fade and the issue to be resolved.
"I was angry with my foe:"
The speaker also felt anger towards an enemy (a foe).
"I told it not, my wrath did grow."
Unlike with the friend, the speaker kept their anger to themselves. As a result, the anger grew stronger over time.
"And I watered it in fears,"
The speaker nurtured their anger by becoming fearful and anxious about it.
"Night & morning with my tears:"
The speaker also cried over their anger, allowing it to intensify during both day and night.
"And I sunned it with smiles,"
The speaker hid their true feelings by pretending to be pleasant and kind (smiling) on the outside.
"And with soft deceitful wiles."
The speaker used deceptive and manipulative behavior to mask their true emotions.
"And it grew both day and night."
As a result of the speaker’s actions, the anger continued to grow, unchecked and unaddressed, both day and night.
"Till it bore an apple bright"
The anger eventually transformed into something tangible—symbolized by a bright, shiny apple—representing the fruit of the speaker’s deceit and hidden wrath.
"And my foe beheld it shine,"
The enemy saw the apple gleaming and was attracted to it, unaware of the danger it posed.
"And he knew that it was mine."
The enemy realized that the apple belonged to the speaker, who had nurtured it through their anger.
"And into my garden stole,"
The enemy sneaked into the speaker’s garden at night to steal the apple.
"When the night had veiled the pole;"
The action took place at night when the darkness covered the world (the pole here refers to the world’s axis, hidden in night).
"In the morning glad I see;"
The speaker is pleased the next morning to see the results of their actions.
"My foe outstretched beneath the tree."
The enemy has died from the poisoned apple and is lying dead beneath the tree, symbolizing the tragic end of the speaker's wrath.
Short Answer Questions
What happens when you laugh, according to the poem?
When you laugh and show happiness, the people around you will also laugh and share in your joy. The poem suggests that joy is something contagious; when you're happy, others will be happy with you.
How does the world react when you weep?
The poet says that when you are sad or crying, you are alone in your sorrow. The world doesn’t share in your sadness, and you have to face it by yourself. It reflects the idea that people may not always empathize with your pain.
What does the earth borrow according to the poet?
The earth is described as borrowing its happiness or joy because it is already burdened with its own troubles. This suggests that the world is filled with sadness and problems, and it can’t afford much happiness, so it relies on others for joy.
What is the reaction of the hills when you sing?
When you sing, the hills respond to your voice, meaning they echo or reflect your joy. Singing is something joyful, and the hills, which are part of nature, answer back with the same joyful sound.
What happens when you sigh?
If you sigh, your sadness or disappointment is not acknowledged by anyone, and it is lost in the air. A sigh is a quiet expression of sadness, and no one responds to it, unlike the joy of singing, which is heard and answered.
How do people react when you rejoice?
When you are happy and rejoice, people will be attracted to you and want to be around you. Your happiness will make others seek you out, as they want to be a part of the joy and celebrate with you.
What happens when you grieve, as mentioned in the poem?
When you are grieving or sad, people tend to avoid you. They do not want to share in your sorrow and turn away. This reflects how people are often more willing to share in happiness but avoid sadness or grief.
How do your friends react when you are sad?
The poem suggests that when you are sad, you lose your friends. They are not there to offer comfort. The metaphor of "nectared wine" means that when you're happy and full of joy, everyone will enjoy your company, but when you face life’s bitter moments, you must go through them alone.
What happens when you feast versus when you fast?
When you feast or celebrate, your home is full of people, and you are surrounded by guests. People come to share your joy. But when you fast or have less, no one pays attention to you, and the world moves on without noticing you. It shows how people are attracted to abundance and joy but not to deprivation.
How does the poem describe the path of life’s pleasures and pain?
The poem contrasts the pleasures of life, which are shared with many people, to the pain, which we must experience alone. Life’s pleasures bring people together, but when it comes to suffering, it’s something we must go through alone. The "narrow aisles of pain" suggest that pain is personal and hard, whereas pleasures are wide and involve many people.
Multiple-choice questions based on the text:
What is the main theme of the poem "Solitude"?
A) The joys of being with others
B) The contrast between happiness and sadness
C) The importance of wealth
D) The power of nature
Answer: B) The contrast between happiness and sadness
According to the poem, when you laugh, how does the world respond?
A) It laughs with you
B) It ignores you
C) It cries with you
D) It avoids you
Answer: A) It laughs with you
What happens when you weep, as per the poem?
A) You weep alone
B) The world weeps with you
C) The earth laughs with you
D) People comfort you
Answer: A) You weep alone
What does the poem say about the earth's emotions?
A) The earth has plenty of joy
B) The earth borrows its happiness but has its own troubles
C) The earth only feels sadness
D) The earth’s happiness is everlasting
Answer: B) The earth borrows its happiness but has its own troubles
When you sing, what happens to the hills?
A) They remain silent
B) They echo back to you
C) They sigh along with you
D) They ignore you
Answer: B) They echo back to you
What happens when you sigh in the poem?
A) The world sighs with you
B) It is lost on the air
C) The air sighs with you
D) It turns into a joyful sound
Answer: B) It is lost on the air
What is said about friends when you are glad?
A) You lose them all
B) You have many friends
C) They become strangers
D) They avoid you
Answer: B) You have many friends
According to the poem, what happens when you are sad?
A) Your friends come to you
B) Your friends turn and leave
C) You become more popular
D) You find peace
Answer: B) Your friends turn and leave
What is the message in the line, "But no man can help you die"?
A) People can always help you live
B) Death is something one must face alone
C) Men can help with anything
D) Success leads to happiness
Answer: B) Death is something one must face alone
What does the poet suggest about life’s pleasures and pains?
A) Pleasure is easy to find, but pain is hard to overcome
B) Life's pleasures are free, and pain is not real
C) Life’s pleasures are enjoyed by many, while pain is a solitary journey
D) Both pleasure and pain are always shared by everyone
Answer: C) Life’s pleasures are enjoyed by many, while pain is a solitary journey
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Short Theme:
The poem A Poison Tree by William Blake conveys the destructive power of unresolved anger and the consequences of harboring ill feelings. It contrasts the way anger is dealt with in two situations: openly addressing it with a friend, which leads to resolution, and keeping it hidden from a foe, which allows it to grow into something harmful. The apple, symbolic of the poisoned fruit of unspoken rage, ultimately leads to the death of the foe. The poem reflects on the dangers of nurturing negative emotions in silence and the eventual harm they can cause.
Detailed Summary:
In the poem A Poison Tree, the speaker reflects on how anger can take different forms depending on how it is handled. The poem begins with the speaker admitting that they were angry with a friend but resolved the issue by expressing their anger. This allowed the anger to dissipate, and the friendship remained unharmed. However, the speaker's approach to anger changes when dealing with an enemy. Instead of confronting the foe, the speaker keeps the anger bottled up, which leads it to grow stronger over time.
The speaker nourishes this anger by watering it with fear, crying over it in the night, and smiling and pretending to be kind during the day. The combination of these actions allows the anger to flourish and transform into something dangerous—symbolized by a bright apple that grows on the tree. The apple represents the fruit of deceit and hidden wrath, which eventually attracts the foe. The enemy, drawn by the apple's shine, steals into the garden at night, unaware that it is poisoned.
In the morning, the speaker is pleased to find that their enemy has been killed by the poisoned fruit. The poem concludes with a chilling realization that the speaker's anger, when allowed to fester and grow in secret, led to the death of the foe. This serves as a warning about the dangers of harboring resentment and the destructive consequences of letting anger build up without resolution.
Bangla Translation (Summary)
"এ পয়জন ট্রি" কবিতায় বক্তা রাগ কীভাবে বিভিন্ন রূপ নিতে পারে তা প্রতিফলিত করেছেন, যা কীভাবে মোকাবেলা করা হয় তার উপর নির্ভর করে। কবিতাটি শুরু হয় বক্তা স্বীকার করে যে তারা একজন বন্ধুর উপর রাগ করেছিল কিন্তু তাদের রাগ প্রকাশ করে সমস্যার সমাধান করেছিল। এর ফলে রাগ কমে যায় এবং বন্ধুত্ব অক্ষত থাকে। তবে, শত্রুর সাথে মোকাবিলা করার সময় বক্তার রাগের প্রতি দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি পরিবর্তিত হয়। শত্রুর মুখোমুখি হওয়ার পরিবর্তে, বক্তা রাগকে চেপে রাখেন, যার ফলে সময়ের সাথে সাথে এটি আরও শক্তিশালী হয়ে ওঠে।
বক্তা এই রাগকে ভয়ে সিক্ত করে, রাতে তার উপর কাঁদে এবং দিনের বেলায় হাসিমুখে সদয় থাকার ভান করে লালন করেন। এই সমস্ত কাজের সংমিশ্রণ রাগকে বিকশিত হতে এবং বিপজ্জনক কিছুতে রূপান্তরিত হতে দেয়—গাছে জন্মানো একটি উজ্জ্বল আপেলের প্রতীক। আপেল ছলনা এবং লুকানো ক্রোধের ফলকে প্রতিনিধিত্ব করে, যা অবশেষে শত্রুকে আকর্ষণ করে। আপেলের দীপ্তিতে আকৃষ্ট শত্রু রাতে বাগানে চুরি করে, জানে না যে এটি বিষাক্ত।
সকালে, বক্তা খুশি হন যে তাদের শত্রু বিষাক্ত ফলে মারা গেছে। কবিতাটি একটি শীতল উপলব্ধি দিয়ে শেষ হয় যে বক্তার রাগ, যখন গোপনে ক্রমবর্ধমান এবং বৃদ্ধি পেতে দেওয়া হয়, তখন শত্রুর মৃত্যুর দিকে পরিচালিত করে। এটি বিরক্তি পুষে রাখার বিপদ এবং সমাধান ছাড়াই রাগকে বাড়তে দেওয়ার ধ্বংসাত্মক পরিণতি সম্পর্কে একটি সতর্কতা হিসাবে কাজ করে।
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20 vocabulary words from the poem A Poison Tree by William Blake
English Word | English Meaning | Bangla Meaning | Example Sentence |
Angry | Feeling strong displeasure or hostility. | রাগী | He was angry when he lost his favorite toy. |
Wrath | Intense anger or fury. | ক্রোধ | The wrath of the king was terrible after hearing the news. |
Foe | An enemy or opponent. | শত্রু | He fought bravely against his foe in the battle. |
Grow | To increase in size, quantity, or intensity. | বৃদ্ধি পাওয়া | The plant grew quickly with enough sunlight. |
Watered | To give water to something, especially plants. | জল দেওয়া | I watered the plants every morning to keep them healthy. |
Fear | A distressing emotion caused by impending danger. | ভয় | The loud noise made her feel great fear. |
Tears | Drops of clear salty liquid secreted by the eye. | অশ্রু | She wiped the tears from her face after hearing the sad news. |
Sunned | Exposed to sunlight to grow or dry. | রোদে শুকানো | The clothes were sunned on the clothesline. |
Smiles | A facial expression showing happiness or pleasure. | হাসি | Her smile brightened up the room. |
Deceitful | Dishonest or misleading. | প্রতারণামূলক | His deceitful actions caused him to lose his friends. |
Wiles | Clever tricks used to deceive or manipulate. | কৌশল | The thief used wiles to trick the people into giving him money. |
Bore | To produce or yield something (like fruit). | জন্মানো | The apple tree bore fruit in the summer. |
Shine | To emit light or glow brightly. | জ্বলা | The moon shone brightly in the sky. |
Steal | To take something without permission. | চুরি করা | The thief tried to steal the woman's purse. |
Veiled | Covered or concealed, especially with a veil. | আড়াল করা | The mist veiled the mountain peaks, making them hard to see. |
Glad | Feeling pleasure or joy. | খুশি | She was glad to receive the good news from her friend. |
Outstretched | Extended or spread out. | প্রসারিত | The bird outstretched its wings to take flight. |
Beneath | In or to a lower position; under. | নিচে | The treasure was hidden beneath the sand. |
Moss | A small, green plant that grows in damp places. | শেওলা | The stone was covered with soft, green moss. |
Tree | A large plant with a trunk and branches. | গাছ | The tree in the backyard provides great shade. |
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