The poem "The Poison Tree" by William Blake uses symbols to represent how anger and resentment can grow over time if left unexpressed. The tree that bears poisonous fruit symbolizes the speaker's anger towards a foe, which festers internally and becomes toxic instead of being addressed directly. The apple symbolizes the danger of this poisoned anger, tempting and enticing others into harm like the biblical apple in the Garden of Eden. The garden setting further ties this symbolism to the original garden in Genesis where humanity fell from grace. Overall, the poem uses these potent symbols of nature, fruit, and the biblical story to warn how small unaddressed grievances can become corrosive if allowed to take root and grow