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.