Poem: The Poison Tree

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 watered it in fears,

Night and 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.

What can be inferred from the first line in the first stanza?

• The writer's bad time

• The writer's happy day

• The writer's disappointment

• The writer's regret

• The writer's fear

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CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which phrase is stanza 1 has the same meaning as ‘kept his anger to himself’?

• I told my wrath, my wrath did end

• I told it not, my wrath did grow

• I was angry with my friend

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which word in stanza 2 has a similar meaning to 'dishonest'?

• deceitful

• sunned

• tears

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

What is the persona really doing in stanza 2?

• Keeping negative emotions

• Nourishing his anger

• Pretending to be the foe's friend

• Thinking how to reduce anger

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which of the following is one of the themes of the poem?

• Importance of truthfulness

• Suppressing forgiveness

• Suppressing anger

• Rationality and moderation

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

In stanza 4, the word outstretched means

• Dead

• Sat

• Slept

• Relax

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

What was the poet trying to deliver?

• We have to be patient

• We should not suppress negative feelings

• We should avoid deceptions

• We should forgive other people

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

What is the meaning of the word wrath?

• Fury

• Pleasure

• Delight

• Patience

Tags

CCSS.RI.11-12.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

CCSS.RI.9-10.4

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.4

Which phrase suggests that the persona had planned a devious strategy?

• "night and morning with my tears"

• "with soft deceitful wiles"

• "and into the garden stole"

• "and my foe beheld it shine"

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

4. In stanza 2, 1. all these things the persona did to make his anger grow EXCEPT :

• A) Watered it in fears

• B) Sunned it with smiles

• C) Watered it with tears

• D) Sunned it with anger

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.8

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9