Frodo Soup

Envy BY  MARY LAMB This rose-tree is not made to bear  The violet blue, nor lily fair,     Nor the sweet mignionet:  And if this tree were discontent,  Or wished to change its natural bent,     It all in vain would fret.  And should it fret, you would suppose  It ne’er had seen its own red rose,     Nor after gentle shower  Had ever smelled its rose’s scent,  Or it could ne’er be discontent     With its own pretty flower.  Like such a blind and senseless tree  As I’ve imagined this to be,     All envious persons are:  With care and culture all may find  Some pretty flower in their own mind,     Some talent that is rare. Context: Mary Ann Lamb was an English writer. She is best known for the collaboration with her brother Charles on the collection ‘Tales from Shakespeare’ written for children. Lamb suffered from mental illness, and in 1796 she stabbed her mother to death during a mental breakdown. She and Charles were part of

A Poison Tree by william blake 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 outstretched beneath the tree. Context: Blake was an eighteenth century printmaker and painter as well as a poet. He combined his artistic talents to produce books that included poetry and pictures. Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience deal with the same subject matter but have a very different tone, Songs of Experience being much darker. The Poison Tree appears in Songs of Experience. Blake was very interested in social ju