A Poison Tree

Most readers are familiar with old adages like, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” or “Things aren’t always as they seem.” Blake offers his audience a similar message veiled in the text of his poem. He presents a view of human nature which may initially appear pessimistic or disheartening. Humans aren’t innately good, he seems to say. Human nature is not always innocent. Blake, rather, teaches readers to be on their guard when dealing with others, lest they end up like the foe, prostrate on the ground at the base of the tree by the poem’s conclusion.

Blake effectively creates this message by creating a stark contrast between how the speaker of the poem outwardly presents and their internal motivations. Blake uses various words with inherent, positive connotations to convey the illusion of friendship and kindness the speaker is showing to his nemesis. “Sunned” and “smiles” in Line 7, “soft” in Line 8, “bright” in Line 10, and “shine” in Line 11 are all examples of the welcoming and warm facade the speaker wears. These terms directly contrast with the more sinister, darker intentions the positive terms conceal, such as “wrath” (Lines 2 & 4), “fears” (Line 5), “tears” (Line 6), and “deceitful wiles” (Line 8). Through his speaker, Blake relays an innate distrust of others. Don’t take people at their actions, or blindly believe what they say, for their true self could be lurking just behind an outstretched hand or kind expression.