Analysis of "A Poison Tree" by William Blake

Poem found here:  "A Poison Tree" by William Blake

This is an either/or poem which is very heavy on the second part.  The first part follows the idea of forgiveness, "I was angry with my friend: / I told my wrath, my wrath did end."  When dealing with emotions, for friends, it's best said and done with, one way or another.  Get it done quickly and move on in doing more friend stuff.

But, say you like revenge or have some enemies.  This is where the poem goes into a bit too much detail, starting here, "I was angry with my foe: / I told it not, my wrath did grow."  Why hold in such anger?  The reasons don't matter.  Just like The Cask of Amontillado, all that matters is that an injustice has happened.  Now what?

"And I watered it in fears. / Night and morning with my tears;"  A little bit sappy here, but feeding wrath with emotions to make it grow -- sorrow and fear the nutrients.  "And I sunned it with smiles, / And with soft deceitful wiles."  The anaphora of "and" adds to this sense of psychosis and tempo -- "and" this, "and" then.  Some sense of excitement.

"And it grew both day and night / Till it bore an apple bright."  Maybe this part is hearkening to the Snow White tale of the poisoned apple.  Or some fruit, like the biblical one, which has negative consequences once eaten.  In any case, the apple is the "edible" culmination of wrath and sorrow, "And my foe beheld it shine. / And he knew that it was mine."  The foe just sees the apple, the nice exterior that looks delicious -- but all those smiles and courtesies hide the actual feeling

"And into my garden stole / When the night had veiled the pole;"  Time passes and the foe goes to steal and eat the apple.  I'm not sure what "veiled the pole" means.  However the deed is done, "In the mourning glad I see / My foe outstretched beneath the tree."  Poison intent welled up and the foe doing another grievance causing his own death.  I wonder what that poison tree looks like.