A Poison Tree

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 watered it in fears, Night and morning with my tears; And I sunnèd 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.

7 The accent on eshows that the word sunnèdis pronounced with two syllables.   14 polemeans “sky” or “heavens.”

The tyger

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?   In what distant deeps or skies Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire?   And what shoulder, & what art, Could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when thy heart began to beat, What dread hand? & what dread feet?   What the hammer? what the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? what dread grasp Dare its deadly terrors clasp?   When the stars threw down their spears And watered heaven with their tears, Did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?[180] D Tyger! Tyger! burning bright In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

7 he:the tiger’s creator.     15 anvil:iron block on which metal objects are hammered into shape.

After Reading

Comprehension check: Recall and Interpret

The Lamb

1. State in your own words what the speaker asks in lines 1–10. What does the first stanza reveal about the speaker’s attitude toward the Little Lamb?

2. Explain the answer the speaker gives in the second stanza. Who is the speaker? How are the Little Lamb, “He,” and the speaker connected?

3. After reading this poem, what can you infer about Blake’s religious beliefs?

The Tyger

4. Explain the basic question the speaker asks in this poem. What can you infer about the speaker’s attitude toward the Tyger?

5. To whom does the speaker compare the Tyger’s creator? What images does the speaker use to describe the creation process?

6. What is your interpretation of line 20? Why might the speaker ask this question?

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