In this installment, Douglas Kearney reads “A Poison Tree” by William Blake. Kearney's first full-length collection of poetry, Fear, Some, was published by Red Hen Press in October 2006. A graduate of Cave Canem and CalArts, he lives with his wife in the Valley, right outside LA.

William Blake, “A Poison Tree”

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 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 out stretch'd beneath the tree.