“A Poison Tree“ William Blake (British accent)

Read in a southern British accent. Audio © 2012 Martin Harris Image © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (used with permission) --------------------------------------------------- A Poison Tree by William Blake (1757-1827) 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 water’d it in fears, Night & morning with my tears; And I sunned it with my 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 veil’d the pole: In the morning glad I see My foe outstretch’d beneath the tree ---------------Vocabulary-------------------------- wrath (n) - great anger; fury often marked by a desire for vengeance deceitful (a) -- full of (misleading) lies d