The oak and the Swallow
The Oak and the Swallow
estefaaano_writes
I could pen a thousand elegies about endings,
bleed words onto pages that hold every
deep lodged thought in the corners of your mind.
or I could choose the weight of your breathing beside me,
how morning light moves across your shoulders,
finding its way home.
I think I'll take the second path.
Let's buy that house in Tuscany,
the one with broken shutters and wild rosemary
growing through the cracks.
We'll renovate the cellar into something beautiful,
invite everyone,
even the neighbor with her poised lips and polished soles
who judges our guffaws from behind lace curtains.
We'll make risotto from scratch,
saffron threading gold through arborio rice
while conversation spills like wine
across our imperfect table.
When the one who holds the world,
pulling strings and making it spin,
decides our chapter has reached its final page,
I hope you know that I'll be there for you
no matter what.
I will be your constant.
If you return as a swallow,
looking down at the world with new eyes,
searching for a place to rest
I'll be the oak tree you come home to,
my branches wide enough to cradle
your wild heart through every storm.
I can shed a tear for my sorrows,
count every crack in this fragile heart
build statues to the moments
love left me to surrender breath,
or I could stand at my window,
watch brilliant minds tear truths apart
about things they'll never fully understand.
There, across certainty and wonder,
That's where freedom dwells.
I am finally empty of answers,
finally done asking the wrong questions.
Had to be broken completely
to learn this beautiful truth…
none of this was ever about me.
And somehow, that makes the morning light
on your sleeping face so sacred,
it catches my breath,
turning a run-of-the-mill Monday
into the very first day
God thought to create the world.
tears are coming
ReplyDeletechoosing presence over lament...genius
ReplyDelete🥺
ReplyDeleteThat Tuscan house feels like a tangible dream.
ReplyDeleteThis is a love that transcends form and time. I felt that promise deep in my heart.
ReplyDelete🥹🥹🥹
ReplyDeleteYour ability to transform the "run-of-the-mill Monday" into something so sacred is pure magic, estefaaano_writes.
ReplyDeleteThis piece is telling us to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, to truly be present and cherish what we have, especially the quiet moments beside someone we love. So moving. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
ReplyDeletehoooo!
ReplyDeleteestefaaano_writes, you've performed alchemy with words.
PSA: This poem is a work of art.
ReplyDelete"I will be your constant"
ReplyDeletesuch a simple yet a very powerful declaration, estefaaano_writes.
this feels like a lifetime of wisdom distilled into beautiful verses
ReplyDeleteFor me? This is not just a poem; it's a dream, a vision of how beautiful life can be when we choose presence and connection. I want to live in this poem! 💞
ReplyDeletespeaks to a love so expansive, so secure in itself, that it can include and accept all.
ReplyDeleteestefaaano_writes, your work inspires a deeper, more inclusive kind of joy.
deep meditation on existence and appreciation.
ReplyDelete"I will be your constant"
ReplyDeleteAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Beautifully done.
ReplyDeleteA masterclass in philosophical humility and finding divinity in the mundane.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has seen many relationships evolve, 'The Oak and the Swallow' captures the mature, enduring love that truly lasts. The commitment to be 'your constant' and the gentle acceptance of the beloved's journey, even as a returning 'swallow', speaks to a profound depth of partnership. estefaaano_writes, you’ve penned a blueprint for lasting affection.
ReplyDeleteestefaaano_writes, your prose is so seamless it feels effortless, yet every word carries such weight and beauty.
ReplyDeleteEVOCATIVE IMAGERY AND PROFOUND EMOTIONAL ARC 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
ReplyDeletespiritual and uplifting
ReplyDeleteThe Tuscany house feels less like a fantasy and more like a deliberate, cherished future built on real moments.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful vision for mature love.
estefaaano_writes, your command of language in 'The Oak and the Swallow' is exquisite.
ReplyDeleteThe choice of 'pen a thousand elegies' juxtaposed with the visceral 'bleed words' immediately sets a powerful tone, and then the shift to the simple, profound 'I think I'll take the second path' is just perfect.
Each word feels deliberately chosen for maximum impact and beauty.
liberating and serene piece.
ReplyDeleteYour poem, estefaaano_writes, makes me think about the kind of legacy of love I want to leave. The promise 'I'll be the oak tree you come home to' for a returning 'swallow' is a powerful image of unwavering support and a safe harbor through all of life's transformations. It's about building something that endures.
ReplyDeleteemotionally intelligent poem
ReplyDeleteFrom a global perspective, this poem, estefaaano_writes, captures a universal human desire for belonging and constant love.
ReplyDeleteThe Tuscan setting grounds it beautifully, but the emotional journey transcends any specific culture.
It speaks to the heart of what it means to truly cherish another, anywhere in the world.
Oh, estefaaano_writes, this poem is like a warm blanket on a chilly day. That image of 'the weight of your breathing beside me' just brought such a profound sense of peace. It's not about grand gestures, it's about finding that deep, quiet comfort in everyday presence. And the oak tree metaphor? Absolute perfection for a sense of belonging.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this cozy, beautiful hug of a poem.
I'm a big believer in manifesting, and your poem, estefaaano_writes, perfectly articulates the dream and the action behind it! The Tuscan house with 'broken shutters and wild rosemary' isn't just a fantasy; it's a vision that feels attainable because it's rooted in presence and connection. You make me want to go buy those plane tickets and start renovating! So inspiring.
ReplyDeleteamazing
ReplyDeletethe big reveal that 'none of this was ever about me'? that's the real rock and roll of self-discovery.
ReplyDeleteMan, estefaaano_writes, you encapsulated that hard-won wisdom so perfectly: 'Had to be broken completely / to learn this beautiful truth… none of this was ever about me.' That hits DIFFERENT when you've lived it. It's the painful, yet ultimately liberating, realization that shifts your entire perspective. This isn't just pretty words; it's the raw, honest truth of growth.
ReplyDeleteyou've painted my ideal love story!
ReplyDeleteSUPER obsessed with your turns of phrase, estefaaano_writes!
ReplyDelete'Morning light moves across your shoulders, / finding its way home'
– that's just... chef's kiss.
Oh, estefaaano_writes, this poem is just begging to be illustrated!
ReplyDeleteThat Tuscan house with its 'broken shutters and wild rosemary' !?!?!!
immediately filled my mind with images. You've given me endless inspiration for my next series.
exactly how I feel about cherishing every single moment with the people I love.
ReplyDelete🤍🤍🤍
ReplyDeleteI'm all about real love, not fairy tales, and this poem, captures it perfectly.
ReplyDelete💞
ReplyDeleteSo, so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat's the kind of open-hearted courage I admire
ReplyDeleteA much-needed nudge to savor the present.
ReplyDeleteAGAY
ReplyDelete🐦
ReplyDeleteprofound message and beautiful artistry.
ReplyDeletethe entire 'oak tree and swallow' metaphor is the most beautiful declaration of unwavering love I've ever read.
ReplyDeleteOh, the risotto!
ReplyDeleterecognizing the sacredness of 'this hour, this minute' before it becomes a 'ghost of what was'
ReplyDeleteOUCH💔
ReplyDeletethis is what pure poetry feels like.
ReplyDeleteit stays with you even after reading it thrice.
ang super quotable ng mga lines!
ReplyDeleteYou know, estefaaano_writes, reading this takes me back to lessons I've learned later in life. That line, 'Had to be broken completely / to learn this beautiful truth… none of this was ever about me.' Man, that hit hard. It’s exactly the kind of wisdom you earn. And finding the sacred in a 'run-of-the-mill Monday'? That's true living. Thanks for putting it out there
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't usually read poetry, but estefaaano_writes, The Oak and the Swallow just… connected.
ReplyDeleteThis poem made me tear up, it’s just so incredibly beautiful and full of hope.
ReplyDeleteit's like a movie
ReplyDeleteOBSESSED!
ReplyDelete