KSEEB Class 10 · English (1st language) · KTBS Revised 2024-25
A Poison Tree
Chapter summary, hard words and model exam answers for Karnataka Board Class 10 English.
Free online summary and notes (Karnataka Board Class 10 English). Read it here, no PDF download needed.
About the author
William Blake (1757–1827), English Romantic poet and artist. "A Poison Tree" from Songs of Experience contrasts suppressed anger with honest communication.
Summary
The speaker contrasts anger with a friend and anger with a foe.
The speaker contrasts anger with a friend and anger with a foe.
With a friend he speaks his wrath; the honest words end the quarrel.
With a friend he speaks his wrath; the honest words end the quarrel.
With an enemy he smiles and hides resentment, pretending friendship.
With an enemy he smiles and hides resentment, pretending friendship.
Nursed wrath is watered with fears and tears until it becomes a tree bearing shiny fruit.
Nursed wrath is watered with fears and tears until it becomes a tree bearing shiny fruit.
The foe steals into the garden at night, eats the apple and dies.
The foe steals into the garden at night, eats the apple and dies.
Suppressed hatred destroys; open speech heals. Blake warns the experienced reader about hypocrisy and revenge.
Suppressed hatred destroys; open speech heals. Blake warns the experienced reader about hypocrisy and revenge.
Hard words & meanings
| wrath | intense anger |
| nurse | feed and develop over time - here, anger |
| deceit | act of hiding true feelings |
| hypocrite | person pretending friendship while hating |
| tempt | attract someone to do wrong |
| vengeance | punishment inflicted in return for injury |
| suppressed | kept from expression |
| metaphor | figure of speech - wrath as tree |
Model exam answers, grammar & audio
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