Read Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks' prologue, epilogue to 'The Tortured Poets Department'
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As she has with previous albums, Taylor Swift gifted fans with a prologue, adding contextual clues to help unlock âThe Tortured Poets Department."
Only this time, there's a prologue and an epilogue.
For the opening of âTTPD,â Swift mentor and muse Stevie Nicks, whose handwritten, untitled poem (other than deeming it âfor T ⊠and meâ) prefaces the 16 songs on the album.
According to Nicksâ notes, the poem was started Aug. 13, 2023 in Austin â she performed in the city two nights later â with a second time stamp of 8:50 p.m. Sept. 13.
âShe was on her way to the stars. He didnât say goodbye,â Nicks writes, an unsubtle reference to the broken relationship that fuels Swiftâs new album.
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While Nicksâ words are primarily aimed at Swift, itâs impossible not to read into Nicksâ history and tempestuous relationship with long-ago love and former bandmate Lindsey Buckingham with lines such as: âShe was just flying thru the clouds where he saw her ⊠she was just making her way â to the stars â when he lost her.â
Taylor Swift explains 'The Tortured Poets Department'
If fans arenât left in a puddle after absorbing the emotional blows on Swiftâs 11th album, theyâll next be confronted with an essay â or, rather, a summation â from Swift, writing from her position as The Chairman of the Tortured Poets Department.
Her âdebriefâ is a cryptic explanation of the content.
âAs you might all unfortunately recall, I had been struck with a case of a restricted humanity,â she writes. âWhich explains my plea here today of temporary insanity.â
As Swift writes about "lovers" who "spend years denying whatâs ill fated," likely referring to her relationship with Joe Alwyn. Later, in a line that will have fans speculating on if she's talking about Alwyn or Matty Healy, she says, "I was out of the oven and into the microwave."
No matter who she's writing about, "He never even scratched the surface of me. None of them did.â
Then, with Swiftian style, she proclaims, âA smirk creeps onto this poetâs face because itâs the worst men that I write best.â
How long have Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks been friends?
The mutual admiration society between Swift and Nicks can be traced to 2010, when the pair shared the stage at the Grammy Awards (the performance was not universally beloved) and later that year, when Nicks penned an essay about the burgeoning superstar for Time magazine.
âTaylor reminds me of myself in her determination and childlike nature,â Nicks wrote. âThis girl writes the songs that make the whole world sing, like Neil Diamond or Elton John.â
The most Taylor Swift song ever:'I Can Do it With a Broken Heart' (track 13 on 'TTPD')
Zip ahead 13 years and Nicks found new reason to be touched by Swiftâs work.
Following the late 2022death of Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac keyboardist and one of Nicksâ dearest friends, Nicks spoke often about how Swiftâs âMidnightsâ track, âYouâre on Your Own, Kid,â brought her comfort as she grieved her friend.
In May 2023, Nicks shared during a live show in Atlanta, âThe two of us were on our own, kids. We always were. And now, Iâm having to learn to be on my own, kid, by myself.â
Read on for the full text of the prologue and epilogue to 'The Tortured Poets Department':
For T and me⊠by Stevie Nicks
He was in love with her
Or at least she thought so
She was broken hearted
Maybe he was too
Neither of them knew.
She was way too hot to handle
He was way too high to try
He couldnât even see her
He wouldnât open his eyes
She was on her way to the stars
He didnât say goodbye
She looked back from her future
And shed a few tears
He looked into his past
And actually felt fear.
For both of them
The answers would never be
Ever clear
Donât ask questions now
Do that later
She brings joy
He brings Shakespeare
Itâs almost a tragedy
Says she
Donât endanger me
Donât endanger me
He really canât answer her
Heâs afraid of her
Heâs hiding from her
And he knows that heâs hurting her
She tells the truth
She writes about it
Sheâs an informer
Heâs an X-lover
Thereâs nothing there for her
Sheâs already gone
Thereâs nothing that can stop her
She was just flying
thru the clouds
Where he saw her
She was just making her way
To the stars
When he lost herâŠ
In Summation: Summary Poem by Taylor Swift
At this hearing
I stand before my fellow members
of the Tortured Poets Department
With a summary of my findings
A debrief, a detailed rewinding
For the purpose of warning
For the sake of reminding
As you might all unfortunately recall
I had been struck with a case
of a restricted humanity
Which explains my plea here today
of temporary insanity
You see, the pendulum swings
Oh, the chaos it brings
Leads the caged beast to do
the most curious things
Lovers spend years denying whatâs ill fated
Resentment rotting away
galaxies we created
Stars placed and glued
meticulously by hand
next to the ceiling fan
Tried wishing on comets.
Tried dimming the shine.
Tried to orbit his planet.
Some stars never align.
And in one conversation, I tore down the whole sky
Spring sprung forth with dazzling freedom hues
Then a crash from the skylight
Bursting through
Something old, someone hallowed,
who told me he could be brand new
And so I was out of the oven
And into the microwave
Out of the slammer and into a tidal wave
How gallant to save the empress
from her gilded tower
Swinging a sword he could barely lift
But loneliness struck at that fateful hour
Low hanging fruit on his wine stained lips
He never even scratched the surface
of me.
None of them did.
âIn summation, it was not a love affair!â
I screamed while bringing my fists
to my coffee ringed desk
It was a mutual manic phase.
It was self harm.
It was house and then cardiac arrest.
A smirk creeps onto this poetâs face
Because itâs the worst men that I write best.
And so I enter into evidence
My tarnished coat of arms
My muses, acquired like bruises
My talismans and charms
The tick, tick, tick of love bombs
My veins of pitch black ink
Allâs fair in love and poetry
Sincerely,
The Chairman
of The Tortured Poets Department