Lyric discussion by prilla1206 

Cover art for The Gold Finch And The Red Oak Tree lyrics by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists

I thought "the red oak tree will carry your loss/when you alone can't carry that cross" meant that the golden finch was using the red oak tree as a kind of sanctuary or safe haven from the world and the things it cannot--at times--carry alone. The finch is spending its time learning/teaching about the world, and often, that can be unbearable.