The Oak Tree

It was the window that knew me.

It’s cool glass never judging

The tears that fell from my eyes,

For it also seemed to cry.

The rain runs down the glass in a

Melancholic waterfall.

Whispering sweet sympathies

Before it too leaves me

Alone.

Alone with all these searing thoughts-

Racing through my aching mind,

Tearing at my sanity

Begging, pleading, coercing me

To let myself sink down

 Down

        Down into the deep

And to think, for all of that mess!

I blame a simple oak tree.

When I gaze out my window,

It stares back at me, taunting me.

Leaving, a painful memory

Of the one who got away.

Well, what do you want me to say?

Shall I lie and call him worthless?

Listen when my friends sigh and say,

“You can find joy some other day.”

But no, He was so beautiful.

Beautiful because he loved me,

Beautiful because of his smile,

Beautiful because every time

He looked at me, my heart

Started thump-thump-thumping wild.

We met when he was 13,

And I was 12 years old;

We sat under the old oak tree,

Huddling against the cold.

He told me his name was John,

I replied with “Eloise”,

And when he smiled at me so sweet

That oak became my favorite tree.

And so as the leaves grew in spring,

So grew my love for him,

And in turn his love for me.

During my 16th winter

On this lovely earth,

He gave me my very first kiss,

Unlocking a new world of warmth.

His lips were far, far gentler

Than the lazy summer breeze,

Oh and much, much softer

Than snow that tickled and teased.

From that point on, the oak was ours.

I planted daisies in the grass,

He hung a swing from a low branch,

Hiding while outside time still passed.

I couldn’t count how many days

I spent lounging in his arms

Under the ever changing leaves,

Come winter snow, or summer storm.

Every time I see the trunk

Tears come racing down my cheek;

For in a heart’s carved “J+E”

And there it stays eternally.

He carved it for me on the day

When the sun hid from the rain.

When complete, he dropped to one knee

Asking, “Eloise, marry me?”

My tears watered the flowers,

Filling them with joy and love,

As I leaped into my John’s arms,

Kissing him deep, becoming one.

In a whirlwind, I became his,

The two of us, laying in our bed

Whispering sweet promises

To love each other beyond death.

When the honey moon ended,

And we returned to our tree,

I let out a shocked cry,

When I found it had lost it’s leaves.

John sagged and ran to our oak,

I followed fast into his arms,

When I saw the daises wilted,

And the swing lost it’s sweet charm.

John held my hand, and kissed my cheek,

Sighing, “It still says J+E”.

He coughed once then took me inside,

One cough that I let fly by…

Little did I know he too would die.

He left a few months later,

In the midst of our peaceful sleep.

I woke to his arms once strong and nice

Now gone limp and cold around me.

At first, I couldn’t even cry.

I just stared out our- my-  window

To see the oak covered in white:

Pale like a winter ghost.

Now I’d lost the two creatures,

In this world, I had loved the most.

“How could you John?” I whispered,

Then cried, then screamed then yelled.

“Don’t you know that without you

My life is a living hell!”

That’s how my neighbor found me,

Sobbing, screaming at the dead.

She pulled me off John and I’s bed,

(Well, I suppose it’s only mine)

Took me to my kitchen for tea,

Then quickly called the police.

His death was no one’s fault, they said

It was a rare and fast disease,

And though they gave me all the facts,

All I could think of was our tree.

So now I sit in the dark,

Just longing to feel his hands

Come up and cover my eyes,

While he whisper’s soft “Surprise”.

When I close my eyes I can feel,

His lips still pressing against mine.

It makes me want to disappeared,

Then maybe I can find

The man who called me beautiful,

The man who ran out of time.

Tonight I walk out to our oak,

A rope hanging from my hand,

I smile and kiss our pretty tree,

Gazing one last time at this land.

I take a breath then sigh and say,

“I’m coming John, today’s the day.”

Reviews

[Vian]

It was good, I cannot truly appreciate this story-poeming style 'cause I'm not very accustomed to it. Simply put, I prefer more ambiguous and free ended poems. I thought it was a very good story and a powerful ending, though, I did expect the husband to die when the tree did. I did not like the pictures that you inserted, they disrupted the flow of the reading and put pictures in my head, I would have rather imagined them. I thought the story was very suitably heartbreaking and you had a solid rhyme and meter to make it flow. I liked it, but couldn't love it. Thank you for writing.

[Lost in Wonderland]

that's fair, thank you for reading:)

[Pax]

Ahh, my friend, I was stunned and I followed throughout the whole poem. It is so simply flowing story-line. Everythings is so beautiful until the heart-breaking ending. You've done it again, a story-poem, that makes your readers stuck in reading till the end. Bravo my friend!

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you friend:) So glad to have your review!

[J. Garcia]

Beautiful and heartwrenching. Astonighing in many ways my dear, I could not stop reading! It felt like I was in that poem, my shoes in Eloise's shoes. So perfect and lovely. Saddening towards the end, but yet so beautiful. I applaud this piece with a million applauses! Not disappointing at all. You have a gift, dear.

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you so so much:)
God bless

[Tai Ryens]

This piece is catastrophically poignant, a tragedy whispering 'tween every line that tweaks itself according to whichever stanza I was currently reading. At first, I believed the Oak represented the woes of a first love, one that tried, promised, and failed. Eventually, it grew apparent that this love indeed kindled itself over the ears, growing, but soon forgotten, only to symbolize the end of something (a foreshadow to the husband's death). I kept anticipating your protagonist to bring up the husband's affair or betrayal, but all I heard was a tale of woe in which the husband slowly transfixed to BE the Oak, for when it dies, so, too, does he.
What I really find magnificent is that the tree holds to the fact that it represents the husband in all ways, from the love to the concept to his death. I only find it fitting that the woman scorned shall meet her end by the tree as well . . . To die where it all stemmed from.
What an epic, regrettably unread by me until this day. I find it vastly underrated. You truly are a poet, Mickey. Exquisite piece, you've dazzled me in all ways possible.

[Lost in Wonderland]

Thank you so much Tai

[Tai Ryens]

Thank YOU for posting this. It's been too long since I've read anything by you. You've certainly improved, quite drastically might I add.

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you:) that means a lot

[screw this.]

Upsetting but heartwarming poem...

[joshua deathdealer]

*claps* I'm stunned and astonished at this epic work of art. Amazing!!

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you! that means a lot:)

[Moniba]

Oh my God...! This is wonderful and meaningful and devastating and heartbreaking.. So much all at once! You have a real talent.

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you so much!!

[An owl on the moon]

This is epic, dear poet. So good to see you back here... what a moving, breathing song of the seasons of love and life... the haunting music that cuts deep into the heart and soul... the letting go... dreaded, horrid time... Your words are both tender and fierce.

[Lost in Wonderland]

thank you so much Craig:) It's always lovely to hear from you!

[An owl on the moon]

It was wondrous to find you here again, Mickey! Happy November... :)

[Lost in Wonderland]

Thanks you:) Happy november tp you too!