Problem
"A Poison Tree" Questions
A. Re-read "The Poison Tree," paying close attention to the rhymes in the poem. In the space below, identify the poem's rhyme scheme.
B. Count the number of syllables in each line of the poem, and identify/describe the meter. How does the meter contribute to the meaning of the poem?
C. Describe what happens to the speaker's anger during the poem.
D. What does the speaker do at the end of the poem?
E. Apples figure prominently in this poem. What do apples symbolize in our society?
F. What do apples symbolize in the poem?
G. What extended metaphor is carried throughout the poem?
H. What lines or phrases help extend the poem's main metaphor?
I. Is the extended metaphor effective? Why or why not?
J. Does this poem still ring true today? Explain your answer.