The Poison Tree

This is one of the lesser known poems written in 1794 by the amazing William Blake. It doesn't take a genius to deduce the magnificence of its meaning.

Check out this song entitled "Magpie" by Blur of "Girls and Boys" fame in which they verbatimly took Blake's Poison Tree and transposed it into song.



... and here's my version of the poem:


The Poison Tree

Sow the seed of anger
and water it with time.
Sunned by patient waiting
the tree that bears the crime.

So until that torrid summer
that tree of brilliant fire
whose leaves now let a crackle
of unextinguished ire.

Upon a branch an apple grew
heavy with acute desire
hidden in its crimson hue
the sap to strike the pyre.

Then a foe I knew before
whose path I once had crossed,
smiled and walked towards the tree.
Into her hands, an apple tossed.

And so with glee she ate it all
deserving of what she's fed
and when i walked towards my tree
there she was, lying still and dead.

The Star

The Star
by Julsitos

You were once the star that guided me
whose firmament remains strong and true
where your light shines upon my compass,
illuminating and new.

As I borne upon the winds of change
coursing and blowing my sails from sea to sea
and yet my star twinkles in the night
beckoning its siren song to me.

But through the years I grew attached
to the thought that she is set
upon the crown that shines so bright,
her guidance I do not regret.

Still I thought that all is fine
my star continued smiling radiantly
to the earth that holds her very dear
with her fire caring patiently.

Alas! Her light that shines for me
began to flicker and to dance
Alarm was I that I scoured the heavens
the cause for this awful chance.

The star I knew, I have discovered,
has spent her remaining rays
never telling that she is tiring
her once so brilliant days.

And in despair I tried to fix
and stoke the remaining light
but just like the ebbing of the evening shore,
my star longs her return to night.

And when the dimming of her light
extinguishes what is above
to die, and never to behold
the star that I once loved.