William Blake's Poems "The Smile" and "A Poison Tree
1. William Blake
About Blake, along with his poems: “The Smile”, and “A Poison Tree”
A presentation given by: Rachel Caldwell
2. His Influences: Blake William’s work influenced numerous writers, poets, and
painters. Many of his pieces “often exposures a sexual and imaginative freedom that
has made him a uniquely influential figure..” (Wikipedia) Some musicians incorporated
Blake’s work into their music pieces.
His Works: Some of Blake’s works include illuminated books such as Songs of
Innocence, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and The Ghost of Abel. He has
commercial book illustrations such as The Pastorals of Virgil, and William Hayley,
Designs to a Series of Ballads. Some of his watercolor drawings include Illustrations to
the Bible, Illustrations to Gray’s “Poems”, and Illustrations to the Book of Job.
About William Blake: Blake was born in 1757 in London, England. When he was
only about 10 years old, he began claiming he had visions. Blake incorporated those
visions into his writings and art. When he was 14, he became the apprentice to an
engraver. 7 years later, he became a journeyman copy engraver. At the same time, he
was preparing himself as a painter. In 1782, Blake married Catherine Sophia Boucher.
She was illiterate, so Blake taught her how to read, write, draw, color, and even
experience his visions. Catherine looked up to her husband, believed in his beliefs,
and supported him in everything he did up until his death.
Blake’s visions influenced his works and created new methods in his works of art and
poetry. He was discouraged with some of the negative reviews he received on his
works, and withdrew, falling into poverty and paranoia. He began focusing on his
sketches and created over 100 of them. His most famous visionary head is “The
Ghost of a Flea”. He also created 21 engraved designs for an illustrated Book of Job,
and also began a project that involved over a 100 watercolor pieces. This project was
ended abruptly by Blake’s death in 1827.
3. The Smile
By: William Blake
There is a Smile of Love
And there is a Smile of Deceit
And there is a Smile of Smiles
In which these two Smiles meet
And there is a Frown of Hate
And there is a frown of disdain
And there is a Frown of Frowns
Which you strive to forget in vain
For it sticks in the Hearts deep Core
And it sticks in the deep Back bone
And no Smile that was smile
But only one Smile alone
That betwixt the Cradle & Grave
It only once Smild can be
But when it once is Smild
Theres an end to all Misery
4. The Meaning of “The Smile”
Just using 4 stanzas, Blake was able to say what “1000
philosophers could not say in 1000 books”.
(www.autodidactproject.org/my/smile.html) His poem shows
the duality between appearance and reality by showing AND
concealing its inner meaning. A smile can be deceptive. It
can either be deceitful, or loving, depending on who is giving
it and why. A frown can show self doubt and be bitter, and the
cure for that can be receiving a cosmic smile.
5. A Poison Tree
By: William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry faith 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.
6. Meaning of “A Poison Tree”
In William Blake’s “A Poison Tree”, there are two scenarios
going on. The reader first assumes that the speaker is mad at
his friend, but wait, his anger does not last. He tells his friend
about his wrath, and the wrath goes away. This first stanza
shows the power of communication.
In the second scenario, it tells of how the speaker is angry
again, but this time it is at the enemy. He doesn’t communicate
to his enemy this time about his anger, and so his anger
continues to grow as well as his fears. To the enemy’s delight,
the speaker’s anger turns into a delicious looking apple. The
enemy sneaks into the speaker’s garden, steals the apple, and
unfortunately for him, he dies from the now known “poison
apple”.
